The Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill opening partnership is reaping rich dividends for Team India. On Tuesday, the duo brought up their fourth straight fifty-plus opening wicket stand in ODIs and their third in as many matches in the ongoing series vs New Zealand.
Rohit and Shubman are both in good touch and really took the attack to the New Zealand bowlers, after the Kiwis decided to bowl first after Tom Latham won the toss in the 3rd ODI in Indore.
Both batters brought up their centuries in style against a hapless Kiwi bowling attack in what is a very high scoring venue.
Rohit brought up his 30th ODI century, while Shubman notched up his 4th ODI ton.
Rohit, in his 85-ball 101 runs knock smashed 6 sixes and 9 fours. Overall Rohit has 273 ODI sixes in his career so far and 896 fours. Shubman, who kept pace with Rohit through his innings meanwhile hit 5 sixes and 13 fours in his 78-ball 112 runs knock in Indore.
Image credit: BCCI
With this century, Rohit also equalled Ricky Ponting. Only Virat Kohli (46) and Sachin Tendulkar (49) now are ahead of Rohit on the all time list of most ODI centuries. Rohit fell soon after for 101 to Michael Bracewell. India's first wicket fell with 212 runs on the board. Shubman Gill fell for a 78-ball 112 soon after Rohit's dismissal.
Rohit and Shubman had taken India to 200/0 in 24.1 overs.
This was also the fourth straight time that Rohit and Shubman stitched together a fifty plus opening wicket stand in one day cricket.
Image credit: BCCI
In the 3rd and final ODI vs Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram earlier this month, Rohit and Gill put on 95 runs for the first wicket. Gill scored a century in the game (116) and India went on to post a mammoth 390/5, before dismissing the Lankans for 73 to wrap up a 317 run win, which is also the highest victory margin in One Day cricket in terms of runs.
India whitewashed Sri Lanka 3-0 in that series.
In the first ODI vs New Zealand in Hyderabad, where Gill became the youngest cricketer to score an ODI double century (208), Rohit and Gill put on a 60 run opening wicket stand, before Rohit fell for 34 to Tickner.
In the second ODI in Raipur, Gill and Rohit put on 72 for the opening wicket. India were batting second in this match, chasing a paltry 109 for a win.
India beat NZ by 90 runs in the third and final ODI to complete 3-0 clean sweep. In an ODI World Cup year, these are good signs for Team India, who will be eyeing their third ODI World Cup title, when India host the showpiece event later this year.
