Harshit Rana celebrates with his teammates after dismissing Australia’s Mitchell Owen. (Getty Images) NEW DELHI: Senior opener Rohit Sharma played a major role in India’s nine-wicket victory over Australia in the third ODI, scoring an unbeaten 121 to anchor a 237-run chase at a packed Sydney Cricket Ground. Rohit shared an unbroken 168-run stand with Virat Kohli, who contributed a fluent 74 not out and led India home with authority.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Despite the win, India lost the three-match series 1-2, but Rohit highlighted the positives, particularly highlighting the performances of young players like Harshit Rana. In a video shared by the BCCI, Rohit said: “Unfortunately we couldn’t win the series but I think it’s still a very young team. A lot of guys haven’t been here and haven’t played white-ball cricket. So we can take a lot of positives from there, especially Harshit Rana who played first-time cricket in Australia. shortened game but looking at how he played in Adelaide and here too, it was a fantastic performance from him.’
Shubman Gill Press Conference: Captain welcomes Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after India’s big win
Rohit also reflected on the challenges of playing against a tough Australian team: “They’re tough opposition. We’ve seen over the years the way they play their cricket, they really enjoy being in the middle. They never let anything come easy to you. You always have to work really, really hard. Having been here, I’ve played with these guys so many times, it’s very important to go up against them and get the best out of them.”Speaking about his own innings, Rohit shared the strategy behind his approach: “I enjoy playing in Australia in general. Today was a perfect day again to go big and push the team. The bowlers did a fantastic job of restricting them first. With two new balls, it was a bit challenging. I wanted to bat as deep as possible and see how we can take the game today into so many plans.”On the partnership with Kohli, he added: “Yes, a fantastic partnership. I don’t think we’ve had a 100-run partnership for a long time. It’s been good for the team when I look at how we’ve been placed. We’ve had a lot of chat between us. We really understand each other. It’s just about taking the game and understanding what’s required at the time and that definitely comes with experience.”Rohit’s innings of patience and precision, combined with his praise for young talent like Harshit Rana, highlighted India’s depth and experience and provided a strong platform as the team looks ahead to future challenges in white-ball cricket.
