Sourav Ganguly hails resilient Rohit Sharma's consistency for scoring big in Int’l cricket

Former Indian skipper and batsman Sourav Ganguly has heaped praised on the Team India’s stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma for showing his urge and scoring massively when it comes to the One-day International cricket while adding he has been a ‘match-winner’.

“I have always said that he’s a terrific batsman and a match-winner,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by India Today.

The former left-handed batsman Ganguly observed that Rohit needs to keep extending and scoring at the pace in the upcoming fixtures while banking on his strength.

“Hopefully, he can transform his renewed hunger for runs, his renewed ability to convert hundreds into double hundreds in the next 10 months,” Ganguly explained.

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Showing the prowess with the bat, Rohit’s innings was cherished by Ganguly while adding the former’s consistency in the top-flight game has been worth watching and amazing to some extent.

“The best thing is his consistency of getting double hundreds which is very, very important. What stands out to me is his consistency of getting double hundreds,” Ganguly asserted.

In the second ODI at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali, India equalled the three-match series 1-1 with one-to-go in Vizag on December 17 after Rohit’s blazing innings saw Thisara Perera-led Sri Lanka losing the match by 141 runs.

The right-handed batsman Rohit smashed 208 off 158 balls to flay the Lions bowling line-up.

Interestingly, Rohit registered his third overall double-hundred, and the innings in Mohali against the Islanders was his first as a skipper of India.

Eventually, Rohit became second Indian captain to achieve the milestone after former batting sensation Virender Sehwag (219), who smashed double ton against Windies at Holkar Stadium in Indore on December 8 in 2011.

Moreover, the highest individual score was also set by Rohit against Sri Lanka at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on November 13, 2014.

On November 2, 2013, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Rohit brought-up his first-ever double ton against Australia when he scored 209 in the ODI number 3,428.

“The first one against Australia was a career-changing one and a batsman-changing one. When you get your first, you realise your potential and you know that you can do it again,” Ganguly remarked.

Ganguly mentioned Virat Kohli has been enjoying his stellar run in the gentleman’s game, but Rohit is not far that far when one is being made to watch such incredible innings.

“We keep talking about Virat Kohli and how great he is in one day cricket but look at Rohit. He is no way behind, 11 hundreds in 50 odd innings (since 2015),” Ganguly explained.

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Concluding, the 45-year-old Ganguly, who has been the President of the Cricket Association of Bengal is looking forward to seeing Rohit scoring bulk of runs for India in the first Test which is scheduled to kick off on January 5, 2018, at the Cape Town.

“Hopefully when he gets to play at the Cape Town Test, he gets a big score. And it will completely change his total career because there is no doubt about his T20 and one-day abilities,” Ganguly further added.

During his international career between 1992 and 2007, Ganguly played 311 ODIs, 113 Tests.