India captain Rohit Sharma returned to form in emphatic style, smashing his 32nd ODI century in a commanding four-wicket victory over England at the Barabati Stadium. His masterful 119 off 90 balls, featuring 12 fours and seven sixes, played a crucial role in India’s successful chase of 305, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

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Reflecting on his innings, Rohit credited a strategic approach to his batting.

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“It was an important game with the series on the line, so I broke my batting approach into pieces. ODIs are longer than T20s but shorter than Tests, so I wanted to structure my innings accordingly. My focus was to bat deep,” Rohit said in the post-match presentation.

Assessing the pitch conditions, Rohit noted that the black soil surface made the ball skid on, requiring a measured approach initially. “They bowled into the body and kept it on the stumps, so I prepared my plan accordingly and focused on finding the gaps.”

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Before this match in Cuttack, questions had been raised about Rohit’s recent lean patch and his form leading up to the Champions Trophy later this month. However, he dispelled any doubts in style, racing to a half-century in 30 balls and bringing up his hundred in just 76 deliveries. He also acknowledged the crucial partnerships he built—136 runs with Shubman Gill (60) and 70 runs with Shreyas Iyer (44).

“I got great support from Gill and Shreyas. I love batting with Gill—he’s a classy player who never seems overawed by the situation. His numbers speak for themselves,” Rohit added.

On the bowling front, Ravindra Jadeja starred with 3-35, while debutant Varun Chakravarthy impressed with 1-54. Rohit highlighted the significance of India’s middle-overs bowling.

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'Middle overs are crucial'

“The middle overs are crucial—that’s where the game can shift. If you control that phase, you don’t have to worry much about the death overs. We did it well in Nagpur, squeezing them and taking wickets, which made run-scoring difficult for them.”

With the final match in Ahmedabad now a dead rubber, Rohit emphasised India’s continued focus on overall improvement.

“We want to keep getting better as individuals and as a team. There’s nothing specific to work on, but as long as the players are clear about their roles and keep executing them, we are on the right path,” he concluded.

(With inputs from agencies)