The second Test of the five-match series between India and England started in Visakhapatnam today (February 2) and after opting to bat, Yashasvi Jaiswal has dominated the proceedings smashing his second hundred in the format. But the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma missed out on scoring big on a good pitch in Vizag mustering only 14 runs off 41 balls during his short stay in the middle.
He was dismissed by the debutant Shoaib Bashir got the better of him. Ollie Pope took a good catch at leg slip. It was a nothing shot from Rohit Sharma as he had to walk back to the pavilion. Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen was not at all impressed with his intent and felt that the 36-year-old missed out on playing a big knock. "It doesn't matter who you get out to, you can get out to anybody. I think he'd be kicking himself because there were plenty of runs to be had here. On this wicket, against a very young and inexperienced bowling attack, he will be looking at his dismissal and thinking, 'How on earth did I get myself out here?" Pietersen said.
Kevin Pietersen also called Rohit Sharma's dismissal a lazy one and felt that the latter never showed any urgency to even rotate the strike during his innings. "That (the dismissal) was quite lazy. Yes, it is instinctive to knock the ball towards the leg side. But there was no urgency in what led to the dismissal. There was no urgency to try and get off the strike. These guys are expansive from ball one in T20 cricket, they play so beautifully. We have not seen huge spin, massive bounce, or anything that should pose any fear in the batter's mind," he added.
Interestingly, Pietersen lauded Shubman Gill who got out on 34 but he felt that India's number three was at least looking to score runs. Gill was dismissed by James Anderson for the fifth time in Tests as he edged one to the wicketkeeper Ben Foakes. "Gill played nicely, I thought. There was an intensity in him. There was a lack of intensity in Rohit; it looked like his innings was in slow motion," the Englishman further said.
