Rohit Sharma surprised fans by practising spin bowling in nets on Tuesday. He was seen bowling off-spin during a practice session ahead of India's 2nd ODI against Afghanistan on June 17.
What happened?
Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal were seen practising spin bowling in nets, with Rohit bowling off-spin and Yashasvi bowling leg-spin.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video of the practice session on its official social media account. Fans were surprised to see their favourite batters performing spin-bowling duties in the nets.
Why it matters for Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma became the oldest cricketer to take the field for India during the first ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamshala on June 15. He was run out for 16 off 16 balls.
At 39, Rohit achieved the milestone, surpassing Mohinder Amarnath. This feat is a testament to Rohit's enduring career and his ability to continue performing at a high level.
What comes next?
India will take on Afghanistan in the second match of the three-match series at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on June 17. A victory in Lucknow will help the hosts seal the series.
The Ekana Stadium pitch is known to assist spinners, which may have prompted Rohit and Yashasvi to try their hand at spin bowling. It will be interesting to see whether India captain Shubman Gill hands the ball to Rohit or Yashasvi in the second ODI.
India will enter the contest with a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The team is looking to build on their winning momentum and secure a series win.
The India squad for the series includes Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prince Yadav, and Kuldeep Yadav.
The Afghanistan squad is led by Hashmatullah Shahidi and includes players like Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, and Rashid Khan. The team will be looking to bounce back from their loss in the first ODI and level the series.
The match is scheduled to start at 1:30 PM IST on June 17. Fans can catch the live action on various streaming platforms and television channels.
Rohit Sharma's surprise spin bowling stint has added an extra layer of excitement to the series. Fans will be eager to see if he gets a chance to bowl in the second ODI and how he performs