/betbarter/media/agency_attachments/3YXcMKaocLoKtpo5Mw2o.png)
/betbarter/media/post_banners/Bbwp3J6laCPeVviM73ke.jpg)
Rohit Sharma
The World Test Championship final resumed on the second day after a long wait. It was because the rain had washed out the match on the first day of the one-off Test. Thereby, fans would pray that the rain stays away during the tournament which got off to a terrific start. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill made 62 runs opening partnership in the first innings.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and invited the Indian team to bat first. Virat Kohli agreed that India would have gone with bowling as well based on the overcast conditions.
By the end of the first session, the match was evenly poised for both teams. The Indian openers began the innings watchfully and looked composed most of the time. Whenever they received a loose ball, the openers tried to score good runs. Thereby, the team scored at a good rate of more than three runs per over. Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma inflicted maximum damage on any short or too full deliveries. They easily dispatched those balls to the boundaries.
But after a solid 62-run partnership, Rohit Sharma had to return to the dugout. Jamieson gave New Zealand the first breakthrough wicket. He bowled an outswinger which caught the outside edge of Sharma’s bat. Then Southee caught the ball at the third slip and pulled the curtain on Rohit Sharma’s short 34 runs knock.
Soon after Wagner took the wicket of Shubman Gill (28) in his first over
Ideally, the team selectors would have wanted one of the openers to make big runs. But they failed to do so in the tournament.
Still, the openers did their part and negated the new ball effect. Thereby, the responsibility then laid on Kohli, Pujara, and Rahane to put a substantial first inning score on board.
On August 18-22, 2018, India had achieved a series-leveling win in Nottingham against England. Joe Root had invited India to bat first after winning the toss for the third Test of India’s tour of England. India had already humiliatingly lost the second Test of the series.
In that test match before the WTC final, Indian openers had last made a 50 run partnership. It was the match in which India had made a comeback and won the match by 203 runs.