Rohit Sharma (BCCI)
Rohit Sharma (BCCI)

Former India batsman VVS Laxman said that opener Rohit Sharma showed immense confidence in what he had planned against the experienced England bowling attack. The right-hander remained unbeaten on 57 on day one, as India finished the day on 99/3.

Earlier England had been bowled out for 112 runs with Axar Patel picking 6/38 and Ravichandran Ashwin picked 3/26. Only Zak Crawley managed to counter the Indian bowling on a pitch that turned from day one again, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad.

India vs England 2021: Rohit Sharma Showed Confidence In His Game Plan - VVS Laxman

Rohit Sharma Came With A Game Plan And Showed Confidence In That: VVS Laxman

VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh reviewed and analyzed the day’s play for the official broadcaster Star Sports. They talked about Rohit Sharma’s brilliant knock here and said that he got confidence from his amazing 161 in the second Test in Chennai, which came at a similar surface, which spun, albeit with a red ball.

“The way he shows confidence on his formula in one-day cricket, I feel in the same way he scored a big hundred in the second Test in Chennai in tough conditions and here also he came with a game plan and showed confidence in that,” said Laxman, the former Indian batsman.

VVS Laxman
V. V. S. Laxman. (photo: The Statemen)

The pink ball saw England pacers, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, and Jofra Archer get swing and seam movement as well, and Laxman felt that Rohit played each the ball on its merit.

“He was playing the drive when the ball was pitched full but he respected and played defensively against good-length deliveries. We know he plays an amazing pull shot and back-foot punch against short-pitched deliveries. So, if you show confidence in your game plan, you will continue to perform consistently. It shows he values his wicket and the discipline that is expected from an experienced player was seen,” added Laxman.

Rohit Sharma Knows How Important His Role As Opener Is, Says Harbhajan Singh

India spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has seen Rohit Sharma develop his game from close quarters in the Indian team and for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, said that given that he is a senior player and as an opener, he knows his game and how important his role is.

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Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh. Image-Twitter.

“When a senior player plays as an opener, it is his responsibility to play out the new ball. He knows very well how important his role is. Whenever he plays good knocks at the top of the order, the Indian team usually gets into a position from where it cannot lose,” said Singh.

Rohit Sharma will want to convert Wednesday’s start into a significant knock, as India looks to build on a good start and bat England out of the game to achieve a 2-1 lead in the Test series.

Also read: India vs England 2021: It’s Very Frustrating, Zak Crawley Reacts To 3rd Umpire’s Calls Going Against England