|| India Correspondent ||
The final and decider T20I between India and England became a highlighted one as Virat Kohli came to open the innings alongside Rohit Sharma. The duo scored quickfire fifties that took India to 224 in their first innings. But it was Rohit, who took the charge and smashed 64 from only 34 balls which also included five sixes and four fours. However, with that, he achieved a landmark in his T20I career as well.
Rohit Sharma surpassed Martin Guptill and returned to the second spot for most runs in T20Is. He has 2864 runs in 111 matches now, right after Virat Kohli, who has reached the 3000-run mark in this format. Meanwhile, Guptill has 2839 runs in 99 T20Is as well.
India secured a 3-2 series win over England where Kohli scored an unbeaten 80 (52) in the final T20I in Ahmedabad. After that, India captain Virat Kohli expressed his desire to open the batting in the shortest format prior to the ICC T20 World Cup, including in the upcoming IPL too.
"Yes, I'm going to open in the IPL as well. Have batted in different positions in the past but we do have a solid middle-order now – it’s about the two best players getting maximum no of balls in T20 cricket. I’d like to partner Rohit at the top and the other guys feel confident when one of us are in. I’d like that to continue," he said at the post-match presentation.
"I think it was a complete game for us and we outplayed the opposition even with so much dew coming in, like the last game we defended a total again. The fact that Rishabh and Shreyas didn’t even come to bat and that we got to 230 was a testimony to the batting performance and what we can do when we get going together. What I liked was how we were positive in our intent and we wanted to take the game forward. Tonight it was classic Rohit Sharma and if plays more freely like that insetad of worrying about batting till the 15th over, it’s going to be tough for the opposition," he again shared.
"And then Suryakumar Yadav counter attacking and taking the game even further away, and Hardik in the end – I enjoyed the partnerships," he concluded.