NEWS
Follow UsRohit Sharma, on Saturday, on the back of a sublime ton at The Oval, admitted that deciding to open in Test matches back in 2019 was one of his biggest decisions he took as a cricketer because he knew that it was going to be his "last chance" in red ball cricket.
Rohit on Saturday scored a chanceless 127, his first overseas hundred that put India in a good position against England in the fourth Test.
Asked if giving the green light to the team management about batting at the top of the order was the biggest risk that he took, the elegant Mumbaikar nodded in approval.
"You could say so in hindsight," Rohit said at the end of the third day's play.
"In the back of my mind, I knew this was my last chance as well trying another position in the batting order," he said after scoring his eighth Test hundred and fifth as an opener.
"When the offer came to me, I was very much aware of it as there were talks within the management about opening the innings at some stage. Mentally, I was ready to take up the challenge and see how I can do well up the order," he said.
Rohit clicked instantly as an opener, scoring twin tons in his first assignment, but prior to that he’d spent six years in the middle-order in and out of the side. Having not repaid the management’s faith whilst batting in the middle, Rohit revealed that he saw the opportunity to open as a last-ditch chance at salvation.
"I know I batted in middle order and things didn't go as per the way I wanted it to and I knew this was my last opportunity to try out and you know management is thinking whatever I want to try," he stated.
"When you are playing the sport, you always have to take those chances and you always have to take those risks and so you could say I was ready for it and didn't come to me as a surprise.You can say it would have been my last opportunity if I wouldn't have succeeded. Anything could have happened," said Rohit, who was very straight forward in his admission.
The 34-year-old vindicated the management’s trust in him by dominating the Proteas in his first series as opener, but he revealed that, regardless of his initial performances, the management were always willing to give him an extended rope.
"That (about it being his last opportunity) was my feeling. I don't know about others because the team management told me that I will have a long run. But I wanted to think in a way that this is it. I have to make good use of the opportunity and for that I have to do whatever it takes," he said.
The right-hander, a fluent batsman usually, had to grind it out on Saturday to post his first overseas ton, but having put the team in a position of strength, the Mumbaikar asserted that he is focused on scoring runs for the side, and not aesthetics.
"I don't mind looking ugly at times as long as I can get the job done for the team. That is very crucial."
(With inputs from PTI)