Once more, India skipper Rohit Sharma fell short in South Africa in the first Test at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Tuesday, December 26. By the end of the fifth over, the visitors had lost their first wicket for 13 runs, with the right-handed batter having gone for just five runs off 14 balls.
Kagiso Rabada tried him with a short delivery just as he was ready to withstand South Africa’s new-ball onslaught, and Nandre Burger caught him at fine leg. A length ball from Kagiso Rabada was aimed at Rohit’s torso. The batter attempted a pull shot, but Nandre Burger, the fine-leg fielder, caught him. The pacer looked up at the sky, grinned, and raised his hands in celebration.
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Indian captain and opening batsman Rohit Sharma and partner Yashasvi Jaiswal cautiously spent his first few minutes at the crease after being asked into bat first by South African captain Temba Bavuma. Unexpectedly, Rohit is among the top pullers in the game of cricket, yet in all three formats, he is frequently removed with his preferred shot. Similarly, the 36-year-old lost his wicket once more.
Rohit has now only managed 128 runs at an average of 14.3 in nine innings of Test cricket in South Africa. Nevertheless, in his eight prior games in the Rainbow Nation, he was a middle-order batter. Yashasvi Jaiswal was caught behind by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne by rookie Nandre Burger after 17 runs, just after Rohit was removed from the game.
Twitter slams Rohit Sharma
Fans on Twitter were dejected after Rohit Sharma’s flop show and vented their anger. Below are some of the tweets:
When the Ball is White & The Pitch is Flat Captain Rohit Sharma & Gill will Score runs at Will but If they Face Conditions like in Centurion
They will Tuck their Tails Btwn their
Legs & Ran away coz they ain’t Virat Kohli#INDvsSA#IndianCricketTeam#SAvIND#ViratKohli𓃵 pic.twitter.com/8i25dOr6uw
— MTvalluvan (@MTvalluvan) December 26, 2023
Team India’s top order collapses, first Captain Rohit Sharma, then Jaiswal and now Gill….!!
meanwhile South African bowlers be like 🙂🙂#BoxingDayTest #INDvsSA #IndianCricketTeam #ViratKohli #RohitSharma #PAKvsAUS pic.twitter.com/8K0X5TPCnV
— CricketComiX (@CricketComiX) December 26, 2023
Selfless inning by Rohit Sharma 😂#INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/bXlD9NnbXd
— Virat 🚩 (@mVkohlii) December 26, 2023
I want middle order to be prepared for 10/3: Rohit Sharma pic.twitter.com/5RkA5ifxoJ
— kjagadeshkumar (@kjk1987) December 26, 2023
Yeh kaun jhooth bol raha hai ki Rohit Sharma ki strength pull shot hai
— Nakul Chaturvedi (@Nakul0104) December 26, 2023
Yeh kaun jhooth bol raha hai ki Rohit Sharma ki strength pull shot hai
— Nakul Chaturvedi (@Nakul0104) December 26, 2023
And these PPL will come and say that we will learn from our mistakes.
Captain sets the tone and by playing a lethargic shot Rohit Sharma has said that they are taking the easy way out here.
Just throw the bat at everything,no need to fight
— Amit (@amitsteinkp) December 26, 2023
Rohit Sharma’s Test Stats In South Africa So Far ⬇️ #INDvsSA
Tests Innings Runs Avg Sr Hs
5 9 128 14.2 41 47
#Tsunami #INDvsSA #earthquake #PAKvsAUS #Tsunami2004 #SalaarRulingBoxOffice #BoxingDayTest #INDvsSA #RohithSharma pic.twitter.com/nEtvjqFW7M
— Rameshwar Choudhary (🚩) (@rameshwarsunth1) December 26, 2023
Rohit Sharma’s Test Stats In South Africa So Far ⬇️ #INDvsSA
Tests Innings Runs Avg Sr Hs
5 9 128 14.2 41 47
#Tsunami #INDvsSA #earthquake #PAKvsAUS #Tsunami2004 #SalaarRulingBoxOffice #BoxingDayTest #INDvsSA #RohithSharma pic.twitter.com/nEtvjqFW7M
— Rameshwar Choudhary (🚩) (@rameshwarsunth1) December 26, 2023
Soon after Jaiswal’s dismissal, Shubman Gill also perished as he gloved the ball off to Kyle Verreynne off Nandre Burger. Gill contributed 2 runs in 12 balls and team India had been luring for 24/3 with Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer at the crease.
