‘The long wait ends for the Hitman’ – Fans breath a sigh of relief as Rohit Sharma ends three-year ODI century drought against New Zealand
Rohit Sharma (Image Credit: Twitter)
India skipper Rohit Sharma has finally ended his ODI century drought of three years in the ongoing third ODI against New Zealand. His last came against Australia in January 2022. After this, he couldn’t play in the ODI series in New Zealand as he was ruled out. In March of that year, the world went into a lockdown and the game wasn’t played for a few months.
When cricket resumed, he was once again ruled out of the ODI series in Australia. He made his comeback in the home series against England that followed. However, from that series till the ongoing series, he waited to cross the double-figure mark in the 50-over format. In years 2021 and 2022, he played 11 games combined and his highest score during this phase was 76 not out against England last year.
Rohit Sharma ends his ODI century drought in style
Meanwhile, in the ongoing third ODI, the 36-year-old ended his century drought in style. He brought up his 30th century in just 83 balls. The right-hander got going with two fours in the third over of the innings, bowled by Jacob Duffy. Two overs later, the India skipper hit his first two sixes of the innings, which were also the first two sixes of the game.
In the 14th over of the innings, the two-time World Championship winner hit two sixes against Mitchell Santner to bring his fifty. The half-century came in just 41 balls with him having hit four fours and as many sixes. After this, it was difficult for the Kiwi bowlers to stop Rohit from reaching the century. In the 15th over, the visiting team skipper Tom Latham brought all-rounder Daryl Mitchell to bowl.
However, the latter was greeted with three fours in the over. Six over later, the Mumbai skipper in the Indian T20 League hit a four and a six to Mitchell to reach the nervous nineties figure. On the last over of the 26th over, Sharma finally brought up his 30th ODI century.
This is how Twitter reacted
It seemed like coming for sometime now, and finally @ImRo45 has got that century. And we know when Rohit hits a hundred, there’s always a double hundred in the horizon. #IndvsNZ
— Rahul Rawat (@rawatrahul9) January 24, 2023
Hundred for Captain Rohit Sharma, 30th in ODI, He is back, what a knock it has been.
100* from just 83 balls!!!!! pic.twitter.com/10TeXdi5q8
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 24, 2023
Hundred by Rohit Sharma in just 83 balls – A quality knock by the captain, absolute pleasure to watch him in flow.
The long wait ends for the Hitman! pic.twitter.com/PtWNnib5Ru
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 24, 2023
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