Rohit Sharma: The Newest Kid on the Block

20-year old Rohit Sharma debuted for India on June 23 against Ireland in Belfast, his only contribution to the scorecard being pocketing a catch to dismiss World Cup star Niall O’Brien off Rudra Pratap Singh. Neither was Sharma required to bat nor roll his arms over. He was asked to do both in the following match against South Africa, with him failing to make a mark in either. Batting at No.8, in the slog overs, he managed 8 runs off 9 deliveries before having his timbers rattled by Man of the Match Jacques Kallis. With the ball, Sharma was milked for three runs in the single over he was asked to send down, when for once the Proteas did not choke in the fag end of the match.

In 18 First-class innings, the Mumbai lad has scored 720 runs at an average of 40.00, reaching three figures once with four scores of 50 or above. His 100s and 50s figures are identical in his 26-match List A career, where he has piled 840 runs in 23 innings at an average of 39.36 and strike rate of 89.04, remaining undefeated on four occasions. He has been at his aggressive best in eight Twenty20 matches knotching up 252 runs, at an average of 42.00 and strike rate of 146.51, remaining unbeaten twice. In the Twenty20s he has also claimed 8 wickets at an average of 15.37 with a best of 3/15. His highest scores of 205, 142* and 101* in First-class, List A and Twenty20 matches underscore his winning a spot in the Team India ODI squad ahead of veterans like Dinesh Mongia, Mohammad Kaif and VVS Laxman. In fact, Sharma is India’s maiden centurion in Twenty20 cricket, hitting 13 fours and 5 sixes in his 49-ball knock.

In a recent EurAsia tournament Sharma scored two half-centuries in three matches, including 62 against Pakistan A, following a successful Under-19 World Cup.

One can only hope that he can make most of his current tour of the British Isles, where India plays 1 ODI each against Ireland and Pakistan and 3 against South Africa, before taking on England in 3 Tests and 7 ODIs flanking a solitary ODI against Scotland.