The former New Zealand all-rounder and versatile T20 batter, Scott Styris, has recently revealed that the very day he saw Rohit Sharma back in 2008, he knew that Rohit was destined to make it big in the game.
“It (the IPL 2008) was my first opportunity to be a teammate and see (and hear of) Rohit Sharma. He was with us at the Deccan Chargers. He was 19 or 20 years old at that time, and I could see then that this kid was something special. I’ve just come back from Sri Lanka, where I commented on India vs. Sri Lanka. I caught up with him there, and he’s still the same guy that he was 16 years ago,” Styris told Cricket.com.
The two had played some quality cricket with the side Deccan Chargers in IPL 2008 and the following year. Styris claimed how good Rohit was and the same man was he when the two met during Styris’ visit to Sri Lanka as he commented in the series against India.
He claimed that despite having a good squad, they could manage only the last spot on the points table as they could not have clarity over their best playing 11.
However, after having a settled 11, the team was led to victory the following year by an Australian wicketkeeper batter and skipper Adam Gilchrist.
Rohit Sharma later moved from the team during 2011’s auction and since then has played for the Mumbai Indians, also having led them to 5-title triumphs, emerging as one of IPL’s most sensational captains.
What’s next for Rohit Sharma?
Rohit Sharma led India to their T20 World Cup title triumph at the United States after 17 long years since India won the inaugural T20 World Cup under skipper Dhoni in 2007. This also marked India’s 13-year trophy drought in World Cups and their 11-year trophy drought in the ICC events.
Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from international T20 cricket after the World Cup victory. He was seen playing an outstanding role in the Sri Lanka series despite India underperforming, hence facing a humiliating series defeat.
Sharma is now eyeing the longest format of the game as India set their eyes on the 10-match Test schedule, which will initiate with a Bangladesh home series on the 19th of September.
The two-match Bangladesh series will end as the New Zealand team, who have landed in India to play the one-off test against Afghanistan, will follow a three-match series against the home side. India’s biggest concern comes with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in November in Australia, which will be India’s last Test series before the World Test Championship.
Rohit has aimed for the WTC final trophy, as the nation has already faced two defeats in the previous two editions, one in 2021 and the next under Rohit’s captaincy in 2023. Rohit is also set to captain India for the Champions Trophy 2025, which is likely to be held in Pakistan.
