First over of the India vs Pakistan match and Mohammad Amir had Rohit Sharma in a lot of trouble, with those simple, yet effective, balls that went across the right-hander. After he survived that tricky first over, Rohit slowly but surely got into his groove, even if not quite his boy-that's-a-gorgeous-innings groove.
Because if it was that boy-that's-gorgeous-innings one, India would have probably completely batted Pakistan out of this stop-start ICC Champions Trophy 2017 game in Birmingham -- although, to be fair, they did in the end.
Yes, the right-hander was not helped by the fact that there were two rain stoppages, because it is never easy for a batsman to just get going immediately on resumption.
However, this innings of 91 (119b, 7x4, 2x6) from Rohit, at a strike rate of 76.47, was more scratchy than sumptuous, with the batsman looking like someone feeling his way back to international cricket after a long layoff due to injury.
If not for Shikhar Dhawan, and his quite outstanding knock of 68 (65b, 6x4, 1x6), India would have been in real trouble.
It is because Dhawan played so well that Rohit could take his time and eat up those dot balls at the other end. Such was his struggle at times, that Rohit was leaving balls bowled by Amir outside off-stump even when India were on top.
There was a time, right after Dhawan fell, when Rohit failed to even take the singles that were very much on offer.
When Dhawan was dismissed in the 25th over, Rohit was on 64 from 83 balls – not great, but not too bad either – and when play was stopped for a second time due to rain, Rohit walked back to the dressing room on 77 from a 108 balls. So that's 13 runs scored off his next 25 balls, with his final three runs coming off 14 balls, when, really, he should have been the one taking charge after Dhawan fell.
Rohit continued to struggle on resumption, and just when he was creating a bit of momentum for himself, when he struck a four and a six off Wahab Riaz, he was unfortunately run out.
You never know, had that bat of his not risen on impact as he dived for the crease, he might have caught up, but then, he might not have as well.
Those 91 runs will help him find his form as India play their next two matches in this ICC Champions Trophy, but if that that innings actually helped India or hampered them a touch – Virat Kohli (81 n.o., 68b, 6x4, 3x6), Yuvraj Singh (53, 32b, 8x4, 1x6) and Hardik Pandya's (20 n.o., 6b, 3x6) brilliant hitting certainly helped Rohit – in this game is up for debate.
As long as India won, and won so comprehensively, who cares, though, right?
