5 top performances of Rohit Sharma in the IPL

4. 32 off 13-balls vs Kolkata in Johannesburg, 2009

The underrated knock comes in a crunch situation and adds a lot of momentum in the Deccan Chargers campaign, eventually catapulting the previous season’s wooden spoon holders to the championship.

At 116/3 in 16.2 overs, Rohit comes in to bat with his team still needing 45 off 22 deliveries. A relatively easy chase has almost been botched up as he prepares to take strike.

The final delivery of that over is on his pads, and he flicks it in between fine leg and square leg for a boundary. The equation is down to 34 of the final three.

Soon, his partner Andrew Symonds is run out off a no-ball and a tidy over follows. Rohit is batting on 10 off 7 balls and his team needs an improbable 21 runs in the final over.

The first delivery is a full-toss, no ball, dispatched for four – the illegality isn’t for the height, nor is it for overstepping. Too many fielders are outside the 30-yard circle, that’s why.

14 off 4, and Rohit hits the meaty full toss for a massive six over midwicket. 8 off 3, wide; 7 off 3, a quick double is run.

5 from 2 balls needed for Deccan Chargers to pull off a miraculous escape and Rohit does it with style. He drives over cover for a boundary and then launches the final ball of the match into the stands for a maximum.

The heist is complete, Rohit Sharma is the hero.