Rohit Sharma has scored a world record three double centuries in One Day Internationals and fans were expecting him to reach the landmark in the shortest format of the game too. But it did not happen yesterday (December 22) during the second T20I between India and Sri Lanka.
Was he thinking of the mystical mark at Indore's Holkar Stadium? The Indian captain answered that question in the post-match press conference.
"Not really. I was just thinking to score runs. I wasn't thinking of any particular target and that is what I do, in all the formats I play. I don't look to score runs as to a particular milestone. My job is to go out there and score as many as possible, not to look at 100s or 200s or 300s. I just got out there to make sure that I get my team into a good position, good score. That is my job. I always try and do that," Rohit, who scored a 35-ball hundred, joint fastest in T20Is, said.
The 30-year-old Rohit was in top form, demolishing the Sri Lanka bowling attack. On the second ball of the 12th over, the Mumbai batsman brought up his second T20I hundred.
Fans were excited that he could breach the 200-run mark if he stayed till the end. But that did not happen as he fell in the 13th over. He and KL Rahul put on a record 165 runs for the opening wicket.
The right-handed opener matched South African David Miller's mark of fastest T20I ton. He said it was important to score runs and put the team in a strong position and was not worried about personal milestones.
"There are times when you don't get runs. There are times when you get runs. That is all part and parcel of the game. But never with that mindset I go on to the field thinking that today I have to score a 100 or double hundred. I just want to give my best and get the team a victory," Rohit, who made 118 off just 43 balls with 12 fours and 10 sixes, said.
The T20I series ends tomorrow (December 24) at Rohit's home ground - Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
