Rohit Sharma displayed laudable patience at the beginning and typical counter-attacking display once set, to slam his sixth international Test hundred during the first day of the final Test against South Africa. This was his third Test hundred as an opener.
On a pitch which troubled batsmen in the early hours of play, Rohit Sharma stuck at one end as he continued to lose partners on the other. The quick dismissals of Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara and captain Virat Kohli, however, failed to deter the Mumbai batsman's rhythm as he forged a brilliant partnership with Ajinkya Rahane to initially stabilize the Indian innings, and eventually bring his century.
Rohit hit 13 fours and 4 sixes during the innings, taking 130 deliveries to bring up his third century of the series.
During the innings, he also went past England's Ben Stokes (13) to hit most sixes in the World Test Championship. He also surpassed former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin (388), Virender Sehwag (372) and Sachin Tendulkar (326) to slam the most number of runs by an Indian batsman in a Test series against South Africa.
Rohit's opening partner Mayank Agarwal is currently fourth in the list, with 340 runs.
Rohit Sharma scored a hundred in both the innings of the first Test, breaking major records in his first Test as an opener. The experiment to send him for the opening role was made after Hanuma Vihari performed impressively as a number 6 batsman during the tour to the West Indies in August/September earlier this year.
"I wanted to take the opportunity and that's why I made the management aware of it. I am grateful to them for providing me with the opportunity and I am happy I could score runs," Rohit had said after he slammed the century on the opening day of the first Test.
India have already won the three-match series as the side registered huge wins in both the Tests. However, both the teams will be pushing hard to end the series with a victory as the game offers 40 points in the World Test Championship table.
