Ravi Shastri all praise for 'great' Rohit Sharma, 'flamboyant' Hardik Pandya
Team India coach Ravi Shastri lavished praise on opener Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya ahead of India's 2019 World Cup semi-final clash against New Zealand in Manchester on Tuesday.
Rohit and Hardik have been essential for India in their World Cup campaign so far and Shastri reserved the best of words for both of them.
Rohit took the World Cup by storm since Day 1, scoring 122 not out against South Africa in India's opening game. After that, Rohit had scores of 57, 140, 1, 18, 102 and 104 and 103 in the league stage of the tournament. Currently, he has scored 647 runs in 8 matches at an average of 92.42 and smashed 5 centuries already. And, Shastri feels that Rohit one of the greatest ODI players ever and his form is no surprise to him.
"[Rohit] One of the greatest one-day players. Whether he would have scored runs in this competition or not, just seeing his record over the years... 3 double hundreds in ODIs. No one has done that. He has been really consistent for India at the top. His form was no surprise. If he chooses a tournament like the World Cup to get that form in, as a coach, I will take it," Ravi Shastri told the Cricket World Cup.
The 57-year-old also had good words to say about Pandya, who has risen above expectations with the ball. Pandya has consistently bowled 10 overs in this World Cup, thus, allowing India to go with the extra batter and Shastri feels having someone of Pandya's calibre is a massive help.
"He [Hardik] has come along as a bowler. You're getting full 10 overs out of him. He reads the conditions well. He knows where to use the slow bouncers and off-cutters. His reading of the game is good. It's a massive help for the side when you have a batsman as flamboyant as him who can also bowl you the overs," Shastri said.
Shastri also spoke about India's only defeat in this year's World Cup that came to England.
"I just thought god was in their dressing room that day. If we play England next, hope he sits in our dressing room. Nothing else to worry about," the Team India coach said.
