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Indian Skipper Rohit Sharma Praised as “Genuine Hero” by Nasser Hussain

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has expressed his admiration for Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s exceptional performance against New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final at the Wankhede stadium, calling him a “genuine hero.” Rohit’s blazing knock of 47 runs off 29 balls provided India with a flying start, and his partnership with Shubman Gill set the stage for a massive total.

India ultimately secured their spot in the final, and after the match, Hussain showered praise on Rohit for exemplifying the team’s attacking style of play even under high-pressure situations. “The headlines tomorrow will be about Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammad Shami, but the genuine hero of India is Rohit Sharma. He is the actual man who has transformed the culture of the Indian team. For the first time, when they were truly tested, the group stage is one thing, but in a knockout game, can you do it again? Can you play fearless cricket? Their skipper went out and showed everyone in the dressing room that we are going to carry on and do the same thing,” Hussain remarked on Sky Sports.

Former Pakistani speedster Wasim Akram also lauded Rohit for alleviating pressure off the Indian batsmen and turning it back onto the opposition. “It was a complete performance in every aspect of the game. Rohit’s name doesn’t come up that much because he didn’t score a century, but the way he starts, he scored 40 runs off 29 balls, with 84 runs in the first 10 overs. That was the platform. The pressure shifts to the opposition with four sixes and four boundaries,” Akram commented on A Sports.

In the match itself, India chose to bat first and amassed a formidable total of 397/4 in their 50 overs. Skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a solid start with a 71-run opening partnership, with Rohit scoring 47 runs comprising four boundaries and four sixes, while Gill contributed 80 runs off 66 balls, including eight fours and three sixes. New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell attempted to bring the Kiwis back into the game with a partnership, but Mohammad Shami’s impressive seven-wicket haul left them without answers, resulting in a 70-run victory for India.

The opponent for India in the final is yet to be determined as South Africa and Australia face each other in the second semi-final at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.