For the past few days, Rohit Sharma and his friends had been walking from their hotel to the stadium across the Torrents river bridge. It is common happiness not to rejoice in India. Even here, if anyone stops to take a selfie, it’s a fan of Indian origin. They cross the street, at the entrance to the stadium, walk past the statue of Clem Hill, a legendary cricketer in these parts, and breeze through the sliding glass doors into the arena. Thursday was a particularly scorching day in Adelaide, with temperatures hovering around 38-40 degrees, so hot that the Aussies wrapped up and fled their optional nets session within 20 minutes.
A few weeks ago, before the birth of his second child in India, Rohit was wandering alone in the dressing room of the Wankhede Stadium. His colleagues were gone, the Kiwis were politely celebrating in the next room, and Rohit sat gloating. Suddenly, things stir and change dramatically. He’s a dad again, and even as he’s “holding a baby in my arms”, his team is slapping Australia. On his flight to Perth, he asks for an internet connection to check the game scores. When he lands, Virat Kohli is blasting the ball around the park. Sometimes, a week can be really long and action-packed.
Twelve years ago, he faced selection disappointment when he failed to make his Test debut during the 2011-12 tour of Australia. He also participated in a press conference two days before the Sydney Test. Basically, that means he can play. He used to say, “If I’m playing, you’ll know tomorrow.” He didn’t. Coming a year later when he missed the ODI World Cup, his life and career seemed to be spiraling out of his control.
In a conversation with The Indian Express a few years ago, he talked about how all the developments during that period almost made him hate the label “genius”. “Kuch matal nahi hai yaar, that word ka” (It has no meaning). What does this even mean? It should be demonstrated.” Eventually, he would get a chance but he wasn’t consistent. Especially in tests. Then suddenly Ravi Shastri as coach and Virat Kohli as captain gave him a chance to open in Tests.
Shastri had once told this magazine that he would make Rohit the opener. “I had already told him but he wasn’t sure. Then one day, finally, he agreed. I knew he had it in him but he did his bloody best to make it work. Shastri will know when he turns into an opener from the lower order. But Shastri’s The game, in a sense, was almost perfect for Rohit. He made tweaks to the basic aspects of how he held the bat, but he made it a muscle memory Had to keep the bat in check for the day, and since 2018, he has turned into a classical Test opener, trying to set the agenda for the team.
Now he has to give up that role. He also had to make that decision. “It was an easy decision as a team (to open KL Rahul in Adelaide), not easy for me (as a player), but very easy for the team,” he said with a smile on Thursday.
In search of love
Not that he cares, but the remaining four Tests will also determine Rohit’s relationship with Australia. He is the star of India. England also saw him excel as an opener in 2018. But in Australia, where he played an important game in 2018-19, he has little connection.
Before the series, various media in Australia had spread the propaganda. Some have also used Hindi and Punjabi. Kohli’s face was splashed in newspapers and on television. Rohit was hardly discussed. The Australian marketing wigs didn’t think Rohit’s face would be the star attraction in Australia. Australia has always been like this. In India, we can judge the performance of cricketers in other countries, but respect for Australia comes only when the players score consistently on their ground.
Ricky Ponting has an average of over 50 in Tests but his average in 14 Tests in India is just 26.48. His only century came in 2008 in a drawn match at the Pata batting track in Bangalore where neither team could finish their second innings. However, Indian fans appreciate him. This is not the case in Australia. So, Rohit’s relative anonymity in this regard is no surprise.
Rohit was last seen in Australia, sitting on the steps at the Gabba, rising in joy to celebrate Rishabh Pant’s off drive that brought home a memorable victory. He now gets a chance to cement himself in the imagination of the Australian public. He might have liked to do it as an opener but as a captain, he has made the right decision to let Rahul set the template. If things don’t go to plan, Rohit may still open up at some stage, but that’s for the future.
As a middle order batsman, he is now stranded in Australia. He did just that by growing up as a cricketer. This gives him the freedom to pop in the bowlers if things have already gone well for the team when he arrives at the crease. If he is walking into a semi-crisis, he has developed the necessary tools to survive it since 2018.
A few days before the match, he had a rather long session in the nets, coming in ahead of the rest and batting for two spells. He paid attention to the footwork and where he stood at the crease. He stood with his back foot at the popping crease, trying to get his front foot down the pitch and facing the bowler. He also took great care to land the front foot on the toes instead of the heel. The toe landing allows him to maneuver backwards if necessary, and quickly at that, or to fully lean into a forward defensive push or drive. Or in other words, the transfer of balance seemed to be the area of focus. Support staff Abhishek Nair and Ryan ten Doschet would give him a thumbs up as he finally walked away, looking satisfied with his training.
Revival, respect
His counterpart Pat Cummins had an interesting week. The difference between the fortunes of the two teams has been surprising to say the least. A role-reversal, of sorts. Not specifically from within the camp, but the chatter going around them or the noise outside as the players call it. On Thursday, Cummins fielded some questions about how Australians view the team. “Do you think you have almost a little desire to see this side fail?” “What is the Australian way of playing” “Is there really division within the team?”.
Like his teammates in previous days, Cummins continued to shrug and deny. The country’s response to the first Test defeat has been extraordinary. It all seemed so far away after India were bowled out for 150 on day one in Perth. Bumrah struck, the youngsters stood up, and in the blink of an eye, the Australians were buried and gasping for air and facing too much heat. However, as India found out after their home whitewash against New Zealand in Perth, nothing like success comes. A win in Adelaide would not only clinch the series, but allow Cummins to continue on his way. The noise outside then subsides.
Though to be fair to both Cummins and Rohit, these are two men who are completely comfortable with their style of work and confident in doing it their way. But irony is really blowing in the Australian air. Not only the Indian captain, but also the domestic captain is playing for his respect in Australia.