KXIP Vs MI: Expressive Rohit, Neesham’s Little Joys And Nerve-Soothing Bumrah indianexpress.com

Rohit Sharma is most expressive when he is in the middle of a struggle, which he was in an over against Ravi Bishnoi. It seemed he wanted to take the 20-year-old leg-spinner to the cleaners straightaway, but laboured to read him. Just the second ball he faced he shaped up for the lofted drive over mid-on before he checked his stroke at the lost moment. He grimaced. The next ball, he attempted the big slog-sweep, but only managed an under-edge that ended up nutmegging him. He was foxed by Bishnoi’s flipper. He was gutted and hurled a mouthful of abuse at himself. His anger only swelled when Mohammed Shami effected the run out of Suryakumar Yadav next ball. When the latter was walking back, he seemed to gesture why he called for that run (it was Yadav’s call only). Rohit was spraying emotions all over. The lapse in focus continued, as he missed a cut off Krishnappa Gowtham next over. More self-reproach. But two boundaries—both gorgeously timed—helped reclaim the focus. Thereafter, he hardly wore any emotion on his face—he was mostly blank-faced, and did not even smile when he completed his half-century—until the ball the got out. He shook his head in dismay at the lack of timing in his stroke.