Rohit and Spinners Lead India to Third Champions Trophy Victory
29 days ago | 5 Views
Dubai: Rohit Sharma once again demonstrated his leadership with a commanding innings in the final (76-83b), guiding India to their third Champions Trophy title.
As Ravindra Jadeja skillfully flicked Will O’Rourke's delivery past fine leg on the final ball of the 49th over, securing India's victory over New Zealand's total of 251 runs, Rohit, observing from the balcony, radiated joy. Virat Kohli embraced his teammates, while Gautam Gambhir wore a satisfied smile, celebrating his first significant win as head coach. Young players Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh were the first to rush onto the field, joining Jadeja in a spirited rendition of the Gangnam Style dance.
Shortly thereafter, Rohit and Kohli joined in with some dandiya moves, embodying the joyous spirit that athletes cherish. India celebrated their consecutive titles, following last year’s triumph in the T20 World Cup.
One particular shot that has troubled Rohit Sharma during his recent struggles in red-ball cricket—the pull—proved effective for him on the second ball of India’s chase. With a perfect transfer of weight and elevation, he executed the shot with finesse as Kyle Jamieson’s bouncer soared into the deep mid-wicket stands. Throughout his extensive career, the pull shot has been a reliable ally, despite its tendency to lead to his dismissal more often than he would prefer. Nevertheless, the aggressive batter was undeterred in his approach.
In the subsequent over, he elegantly flicked pacer Will O’Rourke through mid-wicket and drove the ball past cover, showcasing impeccable timing. He then lofted Nathan Smith, who was filling in for the injured Matt Henry, for a straight six. Amidst this aggressive display, he attempted a more unconventional stroke and missed, yet his determination to secure the Powerplay for his team remained steadfast.
India reached 64/0 within the first 10 overs, while New Zealand stood at 69/1 at the same point. The majority of runs were attributed to Rohit, who achieved his fifty off just 40 balls in the 11th over.
The performance of India's bowlers indicated that batting against spin would pose significant challenges. However, a critical question remained: did New Zealand possess spinners of comparable caliber to replicate India's success against them during the group stage? Captain Mitchell Santner made an early impact by dismissing Shubman Gill for 31 with a well-executed flighted delivery, but much of the acclaim, as is often the case with catches by Glenn Phillips, was directed towards the agile Kiwi, who executed a remarkable one-handed catch at short cover. Following this, Michael Bracewell trapped Virat Kohli leg before wicket, resulting in India losing two wickets for just one run, leaving them at 106/2.
As the pitch began to turn, it was imperative for Rohit Sharma to accelerate his innings and guide India to safety. For a time, Rohit focused on his innings, but he could not resist the temptation to apply pressure when Ravindra's looping delivery was slightly short. Unfortunately, Rohit (76 runs off 83 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes) was ultimately outsmarted and stumped.
Shreyas Iyer had been instrumental in allowing Kohli to play freely throughout the tournament by starting quickly. Partnering with Axar Patel, he began to rebuild the innings, taking calculated risks. Despite his consistent performance in the tournament, he fell to Santner, hitting a catch to short fine leg.
KL Rahul (34 not out off 33 balls) remained to anchor the innings during the crucial final moments.
New Zealand's batters approached their innings with the intent of not allowing the Indian spinners to settle. Many were determined to take aggressive shots. However, the skill of India's spin quartet proved formidable, and as the pitch began to grip, the batters found it increasingly challenging to negotiate their deliveries. While Kuldeep bowled with a slower flight, Jadeja opted for a quicker pace, causing the ball to skid off the surface.
Rohit seized an opportunity after Kuldeep's twin breakthroughs, dismissing Ravindra and Kane Williamson in consecutive overs during the middle phase of the innings. He strategically kept either Kuldeep or Chakravarthy bowling from one end for the majority of the middle overs. India's spin dominance was evident, as they did not concede a boundary for 14 overs, spanning from overs 14 to 27. One player, Mitchell, stood out.
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