"It feels good when we win the match but even better when Rohit Sharma scores a hundred" - Aakash Chopra lauds opener's century in IND vs ENG 2nd ODI

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Rohit Sharma for scoring a majestic century in the second ODI against England in Cuttack on Sunday, February 9. He noted that the Indian captain's return to form with a hundred made the hosts' win sweeter.

India bowled England out for 304 after Jos Buttler won the toss and opted to bat. Rohit smashed 119 runs off 90 deliveries in the chase as the Men in Blue registered a four-wicket win with 33 deliveries to spare to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener expressed delight about Rohit's return to form.

"It feels good when we win the match but even better when Rohit Sharma scores a hundred. Rohit Sharma returning to form is the big headline. There are many aspects to that. The first is just the player aspect. In the last 10 matches or so (including Tests), he had an average of nearly 11, scored just one fifty, and had plenty of single-digit scores," he said (0:50).

Chopra added that Rohit needed to spend time at the crease to regain his form and silence his critics.

"There were serious question marks and no one can deny that. The outcry had become louder when he got out in Nagpur. So the question was how he was going to respond. Was he going to go hammer and tongs, or give himself time? I was convinced that Rohit had to play 80-100 balls. The form wasn't going to return without staying at the ground for 25-30 overs," he observed.

Rohit Sharma had aggregated 164 runs at a paltry average of 10.93 in his last eight Tests. He managed only two runs off seven deliveries in the first ODI against England in Nagpur after scoring 31 runs across two innings in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy 2024-25 clash against Jammu & Kashmir.

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"He just turned it on and how" - Aakash Chopra on Rohit Sharma's blazing century in IND vs ENG 2025 2nd ODI

Rohit Sharma struck 12 fours and seven sixes during his 119-run knock. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised Rohit Sharma for taking the England attack to the cleaners after a slightly fortunate start in Sunday's game.

"He started aggressively here. Luck was in his favor once, a catch wasn't dropped but the ball didn't hit the middle of the bat. However, after that, he just turned it on and how. He hit a straight six and then a six with a flick. I was a little wary that he shouldn't get the leading edge while playing the flick, but that didn't happen," he said (2:25).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that India invariably won the match easily whenever Rohit scored a century.

"Then he hit a six off (Mark) Wood. He was absolutely sensational. It was poetic justice that he hit a six off a spinner to reach his hundred. When he scores a century, the match never goes close. It was a chase of more than 300 runs and nearly six overs were left," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra opined that Rohit Sharma's return to run-scoring ways will also hold him in good stead as a captain. He pointed out that the knock would allow the Indian skipper to talk a little more assertively and call the shots in the dressing room.