Sydney, Oct 26 (NationPress) Following his remarkable innings of 121, leading India to a dominant nine-wicket victory over Australia in the third ODI, senior opener Rohit Sharma expressed his goal to bat as deep as he could and attempt to guide the team through to the end at the lively Sydney Cricket Ground.

Rohit spearheaded the Indian response, achieving an unbeaten 121 while effortlessly chasing down 237. He formed a crucial partnership with Virat Kohli, who contributed an impressive 74 not out, resulting in a solid 168-run partnership that sealed the match.

“I love playing in Australia,” Rohit remarked. “Today was just the right opportunity to score big and help the team succeed. Our bowlers did an exceptional job in limiting their runs. Given their score, I felt they were slightly below par. We owe a lot to our bowlers for their performance.”

“Initially, batting was tricky with the new balls. The pitch was behaving oddly at the start, but we knew it would get easier once the shine wore off. My plan was to bat as deep as possible and see if we could take the game to the end,” he shared in a video on bcci.tv.

Rohit and Shubman Gill opened with a solid 69-run partnership before Josh Hazlewood dismissed the Indian captain. Rohit then played flawlessly, notching his 33rd ODI century with 13 fours and 3 sixes.

“Sometimes, despite having many thoughts, it doesn’t pan out. But today, everything clicked perfectly with my strategy. Playing in Australia requires thorough planning, and my previous experiences informed my approach today,” he explained.

“The partnership with Kohli was fantastic. We hadn’t established a 100-run partnership for a while. Given our situation after losing Gill early on, it was crucial to have that partnership.”

“We cherished our time out there, engaging in conversation. Having played so much cricket together, we have a strong understanding of each other. It’s all about managing the game and recognizing what’s needed at any given moment, which comes with experience,” he elaborated.

Despite Australia clinching the series 2-1, Rohit acknowledged their competitive spirit. “They are a formidable team. Over the years, we’ve seen how they play. They truly enjoy the game and competing. You have to work hard to earn every victory against them.”

“Although we didn’t win the series, I see many positives, especially in young seam-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana, who excelled in his first white-ball series in Australia. His bowling performances have been commendable,” Rohit concluded.

–IANS

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