Last Updated: January 29, 2023, 4:30 PM IST
Ravi Ashwin and Rohit Sharma.
Furthermore, Ashwin said that Rohit had been one of the phenomenal players in world cricket and cited how the India captain was man of the tournament in 2019 World Cup.
India spinner Ravi Ashwin backed his ODI skipper Rohit Sharma after he raised a ‘beautiful topic’ after the end of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand. It all began when he scored a century in Indore against New Zealand. This was his first century since January 2020—a fact which the Broadcasters flashed as soon as he got to the triple-figure mark. Although ‘his first century in three years’ remark was statistically correct, it didn’t bring the whole picture as 2020 saw less cricket being played due to Covid pandemic.
Rohit had reiterated the same.
“I have played only 12 ODIs in three years. Three years sounds (like) a lot, but in those three years, I have played only 12 or 13 (17) ODIs if am not wrong. I know it was shown on the broadcast, sometimes we need to show the right things also,” said Rohit.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin came in support of the Indian skipper and said: “Rohit Sharma raised a beautiful topic about broadcasters, saying that they should be responsible when it comes to putting out facts to the common people. I have spoken a lot about this perception, how it can formulate into an opinion.
He cited the example of Virat Kohli who had a dry run in the first half of 2022, adding that he played no cricket during 2020 and also took a break.
“If we look back, for quite a long time, people were speaking about Virat Kohli, that it was 4 years for him without a hundred. But if you ask the concerned person, he would say ‘in those 4 years, 8 months were pandemic, then I took my break’. He would be able to tell you correctly.
“If you keep on telling that there was a 3 year-gap, 4-year gap to the fans… fans, who are keen, and selectors and others who are part of the system, they know what’s the truth. But if you look at a commoner’s perspective, if you force such information on them, they would think ‘yeah, he hasn’t scored runs. So many new ones are scoring. Remove him’. That’s why Rohit Sharma said the broadcasters should deal with such things more responsibly.
Furthermore, Ashwin said that Rohit had been one of the phenomenal players in world cricket and cited how the India captain was man of the tournament in 2019 World Cup.
“In the 2019 World Cup, he scored one hundred after another. He was the player of the Tournament in the ODI World Cup. In the last 10-15 years, there’s nothing to question Rohit Sharma’s performance in limited-overs cricket,” Ashwin said.
The off-spinner added that he was surprised when the broadcasters called Rohit’s 34 from 38 balls in the first ODI against New Zealand a failure.
“In fact, he had scored 34 off 38. He took on the mantle, he started hitting the opposition bowlers. He reduced the pressure on his batting partners. Even when talking about that innings ‘yet another failure for Rohit Sharma’ was the talk in the show. It was surprising,” he said.
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