Brett Lee weighed in on Rohit Sharma hardly releasing a reaction on completing the 2nd century of his IPL career.
It took Rohit Sharma 12 years to score his second IPL century but the reaction on his face was probably just an ounce below when India lost to Australia in the World Cup final. Of course, this is no comparison, but after India, Rohit’s commitment to Mumbai Indians, the team he helped build over the last 10 years, is second to none. Perhaps this is the reason why the hundred didn’t matter to Rohit, as by the time he got to his three-figure mark, the game was pretty much beyond conclusion.
Rohit Sharma was devoid of emotion on completing his 2nd IPL century. (AFP)
Hence, when Rohit drilled Matheesha Pathirana for a four to get to his hundred, it resembled the most low-key reactions ever. Even as the Wankhede stood up to applaud ‘Mumbai cha raja’, as a few claps from the dugout followed, Rohit stayed muted. He neither raised his bat, nor did he punch the glove; just the usual chat with Mohammad Nabi before getting back to take strike. It was clear that the win meant more to Rohit than his personal milestone, something legendary Australia pacer Brett Lee absolutely admired.
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“It was a brilliant hundred. The fact that he went out there and got them at a pretty good clip too. But I liked when he scored his hundred and didn’t even raise his bat. Because that tells me the win means more than his personal milestone. He played with real intent right from ball one,” Lee said on Jio Cinema.
“He played his shots all around the ground. And then the power, the finesse came into play. 105 not out 63 balls, 11 fours, 5 sixes. Some of those sixes could have gone out of the ground in other stadiums. It was beautiful batting, but unfortunately, sometimes you can’t do things on your own.”
Lee turns his attention to Pathirana
But while the former Aussie speedster was all praise for Rohit, he touched upon the brilliance of Pathirana as well. The 21-year-old slinger is CSK’s own version of Malinga, and boy, did he live up to the moniker. Pathirana produced his career-best IPL figures of 4/28, to go with 3/31 in the previous game against Delhi Capitals – and ensured MI’s chase never quite took off. He dealt them blows regularly, dismissing the dangerous India trio of Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and the big-hitting Romario Shepherd lower down the order. Hailing Pathirana as a ‘generational’ talent, Lee was impressed not just with his action and effectiveness but his searing pace too.
“He is a once in a generation player. Probably 2.0 in terms of the slinger, but he’s bowled beautifully once again tonight. It’s the pace he’s bowling at. 150 kmph from right in front of the umpire’s chest, it’s a different trajectory off the wicket, out of the hand. He got four wickets, he’s content with it. He seems like a lovely kid as well. He’s going from strength to strength and that’s a huge reason why the Men in Yellow are doing as well, with guys bowling as well as he is,” added Lee, one of the fastest bowlers of all time.
