In a thrilling World Cup encounter, Captain Rohit Sharma led from the front, praising his bowlers for their incredible performance against England. In a remarkable display of teamwork, India clinched a sensational 100-run victory over the defending champions.
The Indian bowlers were nothing short of spectacular in the match against England. Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami bowled fiery opening spells, leaving the English batters in disarray. Bumrah claimed 3 wickets for just 32 runs, while Shami’s spell resulted in 4 crucial wickets for 22 runs. These two seamers exploited the pitch conditions with precision, making the ball swing and move laterally
But the magic didn’t stop there. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja joined the party, further dismantling the English batting lineup. Yadav claimed 2 wickets for 24 runs, while Jadeja contributed with 1 wicket for just 16 runs. Their spin prowess was a testament to India’s well-rounded bowling attack.
Before the bowlers wreaked havoc on England, Captain Rohit Sharma showcased his batting prowess. On a challenging pitch, he struck a remarkable 87 runs, guiding India to 229 for 9 after being put into bat. His performance was crucial in setting a target for England to chase.
Rohit, in his post-match presentation, said, “You don’t see that every day when you are defending such a total. Our seamers exploited the conditions very well; there was swing and lateral movement available (on the pitch),” Rohit said at the post-match presentation.
“We have got a good balance there. A couple of good spinners and seamers bring in their experience. When you have a bowling lineup like that, it’s important that the batters give them something to work with and show their magic,” he added.
He acknowledged the vital role played by the bowlers and the balance they bring to the team. The presence of spinners and seamers in the lineup was a strategic advantage for India.
Rohit Sharma lauded his team’s character and the performance of experienced players when it mattered most. “This was a game where we showed a lot of character. All the experienced players stood up at the right time and won the game. Looking at how the tournament has gone for us, batting second in the first five games, and then we had to bat first here, we were challenged. We knew the pitch had something in it, and we had the experience in our bowling, so we wanted to get to a decent total,” he said.
The challenging pitch and the need to bat first posed a significant challenge, but the Indian team’s experience in bowling played a crucial role. Rohit emphasized the importance of setting a decent total when you have a bowling lineup like India’s.
Despite the victory, Rohit admitted that India’s batting performance left room for improvement. “We were not great with the bat. Losing three wickets in the first powerplay isn’t the ideal situation,” he remarked. Creating a long partnership became necessary, and they managed to do so. However, wickets fell at crucial junctures.
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He reflected on his batting performance, saying, “After the first 10 overs, it was important to stitch a partnership. You have to play the situation as well and not just play your shots.” Experience was the key, and Rohit believed they were still 20-30 runs short.
“If you have that experience, you should use it. But I still thought we were 20-30 runs short. The new ball was a bit challenging, and as the game went on, the ball got softer, and it was not easy to rotate strike.”
The World Cup’s format has added significance, as the top seven teams after the league stage will join hosts Pakistan in the 2025 Champions Trophy. England’s poor performance has left them at the bottom of the table, and Buttler acknowledged that there’s still a lot to play for.
