Captain Kohli and Rohit opened the innings for India in a T20I for the first time on Saturday and their 94-run stand helped India beat England by 36 runs and win the series.
After the blistering half-centuries by skipper Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Indian bowlers restricted England to 188/8 to register a 36-run win in the fifth T20I here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.
Rohit, the regular opener in the white-ball cricket, has been rested a day after captain Virat Kohli said that Rohit and KL Rahul would open the innings. However, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag hit out at the captain for resting in-form Rohit.
There were continuous debates over the nature of the pitch that was on offer. It assisted the spinners from the first session and the debate continues to grow.
Sharma was one of two batsmen, the other being England opener Zak Crawley, who managed to score a half century in the match which ended in two days. As many as 17 wickets fell on the second day as India
Rohit attributed his sublime first innings half-century to the positive intent that he displayed during the day-night third Test in which England got thrashed by 10 wickets
Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman was mighty impressed with the hitman’s knock and said the opener had come out with a plan and implemented it perfectly.
The four-match series currently stands level at 1-1 and now both teams will lock horns in a pink-ball Test, beginning February 24 at the Motera Stadium
Ashwin remains seventh in the bowlers' rankings but he has gained 33 rating points to reach within three points of sixth-ranked Stuart Broad and to within 21 of second-ranked Neil Wagner.
