Team India captain Rohit Sharma received praise from fans after his sensational century in the second ODI against England on Sunday (February 9) at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. His match-winning knock helped the hosts register a four-wicket victory in the contest.
England batted first and got bundled out for 304 runs in 49.5 overs. Ben Duckett (65), Joe Root (69), Harry Brook (31), Jos Buttler (34), and Liam Livingstone (41) all contributed well to their score.
Rohit Sharma then smashed the bowlers all around the park from the onset of the second innings and set up the platform for his team. He led his side from the front and hit seven sixes and 12 fours en route to 119 (90). Shubman Gill (60), Shreyas Iyer (44), and Axar Patel (41*) also supported their captain and helped India clinch a four-wicket victory.
Fans were elated to witness Rohit Sharma in full flow during the second ODI against England ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy. They expressed their reactions to the magnificent knock by sharing hilarious memes on X and Instagram. One meme read:
"Call the ambulance! But not for me!
"Broke it down to pieces about how I wanted to bat"- India captain Rohit Sharma after century vs England in 2nd ODI 2025 in Cuttack
At the post-match presentation, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma received the Player of the Match award for his magnificent batting performance in the chase. Reflecting on the win and his knock, Rohit said:
"It was good, really enjoyed being out there, scoring runs for the team. Important game, series on the line. Broke it down to pieces about how I wanted to bat. It's longer than T20 cricket, but shorter than Tests. Needed to assess and break the innings down to pieces. It was important for batters who are set to bat as deep as possible. Looking at the pitch, when you play on black soil, it skids on a bit."
He added:
"It's important to show the full face of the bat, especially at the start. They were bowling into the body, trying not to give any room. That's where I prepared my game and tried to access the gaps. Got good support from Gill and Shreyas. We want to keep getting better as a team. Just keep getting better as a team. As long as guys are clear about what they are supposed to do, if they keep doing that not much to think about."
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host the final ODI of the three-series on Wednesday, February 12.
Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news