Rohit Sharma: A comeback that was waiting to happen

With this innings, he became the fourth Indian batsman to score a century in his maiden innings as an opener in Test cricket. Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Prithvi Shaw being the others to do so.

He also became the fourth player to hit six successive 50-plus scores in Tests played in India. Incidentally, this was Rohit’s fourth century in Test cricket and all four coming at home.

Rohit Sharma plays a shot on the first day of the 1st Test match. (Source: PTI)

Walking out to bat with Mayank Agarwal on a sunny morning in Vizag, it was a great opportunity for Rohit to answer his critics and prove his mettle in red-ball cricket.

But initially, the right-hander did look tentative with the ball moving just enough to cause doubts in the batsmen’s mind. His technique also seemed a bit dodgy with Vernon Philander consistently troubling him with the incoming delivery.

Soaking in the pressure and showing great temperament, Rohit allowed himself to settle down, playing as late as possible and picking gaps behind square on the off side – the kind of shot we see a lot from him in white ball cricket.

With spin being introduced soon after the first ten overs, India’s limited overs vice-captain brought his attacking game of white-ball cricket and hit quite a few balls in front of the wicket as well.

It was only a matter of time before Rohit went downtown but what stood out was his exceptional use of the feet as time and again as he got to the pitch of the ball to lift it over the boundary ropes.

1st six of innings #INDvSA #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/gEOe3ND96I

— Dhimak kharab (@AdiidiKadAdeidi) October 2, 2019

In the first session, Rohit scored 17 (46 balls) versus pace. 71 percent of his runs came on the off-side.

Against spin, he scored 35 (38 deliveries), with 71 percent of the runs coming on on-side.

The opener batted slowly through the first hour but picked up pace thereafter to reach his half-century off 84 balls before lunch.

What was also interesting to see was Rohit get out of his comfort zone and bring out the sweep shot against the left-arm spin of Keshav Maharaj and Muthusamy.

Rohit Sharma plays a sweep shot during the first day against South Africa. (AP)

Considering that it is not a natural shot for someone like Rohit, it shows how hard the Mumbaikar has worked on his game.

His tactic of dominating the bowlers was visible when on the second ball after lunch he smacked Maharaj past the cover region for his fourth boundary of the day.

Sharma finally reached the three-figure mark in 154 balls much to the delight of the Indian team management.

He continued to wield his willow thereafter, playing shots, each one more elegant than the other.

At the end of day’s play, India reached 202/0 at stumps with rain preventing any play in the final session.

Making the switch from limited overs to Test cricket should not have been an arduous task for the ‘Hitman’ but what made it even easier for him was the decision to keep things simple.

Rohit also knew that it was a comeback that was waiting to happen.

“I was prepared for the past two years. At some stage, I was aware that I might have to open so I was ready,” said Rohit in his post-match press conference.

“There was no confusion about how I wanted to approach the innings,” he explained.

Lineups:

India: (from) Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav.

South Africa: (from) Faf du Plessis (captain), Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Zubayr Hamsa, Vernon Philander, Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Piedt, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada.