'Even in the WTC & IPL..': Anil Kumble Speaks Out On Rohit Sharma's Form

Rohit Sharma's prolonged struggle with poor form finally came to an end as he displayed a remarkable performance by scoring a century in the first Test against West Indies in Dominica. This much-needed milestone undoubtedly boosted the confidence of the Indian skipper, who had been grappling with the challenge of achieving big scores for quite some time.

Never truly out of form

Anil Kumble, a revered figure in Indian cricket, showered praise upon Rohit for his century while emphasising that, in his eyes, the talented batsman was never truly out of form. Kumble asserted that even in the World Cup Test Championship final and the Indian Premier League, Rohit exhibited his exceptional skills and was far from experiencing a complete loss of form.

During a conversation on Jio Cinema following Rohit's century, Kumble highlighted the determined approach shown by the Indian captain right from the first ball he faced. This display of determination and focus further underlined Rohit's commitment to excel and contribute significantly to his team's success.

"You saw from Ball 1, the moment he stepped out, he knew he had to play a different kind of an innings, it was not the kind of pitch where the ball wasn't coming onto the bat. Rohit likes the pace, even when the fast bowlers bowled those short deliveries, it was not coming on. He was happy to stay restrained and then, yes, on a couple of occasions, he took on the bowlers and hit them over the top," Kumble said.

According to Kumble, Rohit's performance in the WTC final against Australia and the IPL may not have resulted in significant scores, but it does not necessarily indicate a poor form.

"Yes, wonderful innings, much-needed for Rohit because it was not that he was out of form. Even in the WTC, he was looking really good, yes, he got out but he was looking good. Even in the IPL, he was looking good every time he went out there. You could make out that when someone is not in form, and he was never like that. I am glad that he could put his head down and get the hundred," he explained

Published on: Saturday, July 15, 2023, 12:11 PM IST