'Nervous 90s? Vo kya hota hai?': Rohit Sharma's six to slam century despite 'worst phase' in career sets internet ablaze

Rohit Sharma made a much-awaited return to run-scoring in the second ODI of the series against England on Sunday. Coming on the back of a horrid run in international cricket, Rohit shed the monkey off his back with a brilliant 119 off 90 deliveries; it was a typically aggressive knock from the Indian opener, who has adopted the attacking approach in ODIs – a template he has been following since the 2023 World Cup. India's captain Rohit Sharma celebrates his half century during the 2nd ODI match against England(Bibhash Lodh)

Having endured relentless scrutiny following a prolonged lean patch, Rohit faced questions he had never encountered in his illustrious career. He had struggled across formats, even dropping himself in the Sydney Test against Australia last month. But on February 9, the tide turned.

The timing was back, the sixes rained down, and Rohit rediscovered his old touch, too. His confidence was unmistakable, refusing to curb his aggression even as he approached his century. On 96, instead of taking a cautious route, the Indian skipper boldly stepped out to Adil Rashid and dispatched him for a towering six to bring up his hundred in style.

The fans also noticed Rohit's aggression even while nearing his century, and reacted on X.

England’s bowlers played into Rohit's hands, too, offering overpitched deliveries that he dispatched with effortless precision. Against Mark Wood, he used the crease smartly, riding the bounce and picking the slower balls with ease.

Unlike previous occasions, Rohit Sharma didn’t unleash his aggression from the first ball. Instead, he bided his time, waiting for the perfect moment to break free. That moment arrived on the fifth ball of the second over, when a mere flick of his wrists sent the ball racing past the boundary; with his batting partner Gill adopting a conservative approach, Rohit took charge of the big-hitting.

Rohit's record

With that stroke in the second over, Rohit not only stamped his authority early but also etched his name into the record books. The six took him past Chris Gayle for the most maximums in ODI history.

This was also Rohit's second-fastest century in ODIs (in 76 balls). His fastest remains the 63-ball ton against Afghanistan, which he scored during the 2023 World Cup.

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