Rohit Sharma is set to make a highly anticipated T20I comeback for the Indian cricket team in the series against Afghanistan, scheduled to kick off in Mohali on Thursday. The skipper’s return to the T20I format comes after over a year, with the last appearance being in the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup against England. Initially, there was speculation about phasing out Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from T20Is, but both have been included in the squad for the series against Afghanistan, which serves as the final preparation for the T20 Cricket World Cup 2024. In a recent interview with The Lallantop, former India pacer Praveen Kumar shared an interesting incident involving Rohit Sharma. He recalled an episode from 2012 when fans directed abuse towards Sharma during a net session in Melbourne.
“I have never got into a fight with anyone. We three were there – me, Rohit Sharma, and Manoj Tiwary. We were at the nets, I think it was in Melbourne. Our own fans abused us. They were Indian fans who were abusing Rohit Sharma. His patience ended, and he shot back at them, and I joined. I am telling you that it is our own who abuse us,” revealed Praveen Kumar.
When asked about his views on Virat Kohli, Praveen Kumar praised the Indian captain for his dedication to scoring runs and maintaining a disciplined approach to fitness and diet. He described Kohli as a “great guy” and emphasized his accomplishments in international cricket.
Moving on to Gautam Gambhir, Praveen Kumar acknowledged the seniority of the former cricketer, referring to him as his “elder brother.” When questioned about the on-field altercation between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, Praveen Kumar dismissed it, stating, “It does not matter if the elder brother scolds the younger one. He is older; he can scold him.”
In another part of the interview, Praveen Kumar shared insights into the practice of ball-tampering in cricket. He mentioned that ball-tampering used to be a common occurrence among players. According to Kumar, Pakistani bowlers were known to engage in ball-tampering slightly more than others to enhance their reverse swing.
“Everyone does a little bit; they (Pakistan bowlers) do it a bit more. That’s what I’ve heard. Now, there are cameras everywhere. Earlier, everyone used to do it. And everyone knows as well. They would scratch it from one side. But you need to know how to use that skill, too. If I scratch the ball and give it to someone, one will need to have the skills to reverse-swing it. One has to learn that,” explained Praveen Kumar.
As Rohit Sharma leads the Indian cricket team in the T20I series against Afghanistan, the focus will not only be on his on-field performance but also on how he guides the team ahead of the upcoming T20 Cricket World Cup. The series will serve as a crucial preparation phase, and fans eagerly await the return of the Hitman to T20I action.
