You could see puffs of dust from a first-day pitch. The top soil appeared loose. Batting was demanding.
But then, gifted batsmen make their own rules. And the surface becomes seemingly easy. Rohit Sharma is one such player.
When timing combines with dexterous wrists, an attacking mindset, and audacious front-footed batsmanship, you get Rohit. He innovates and creates.
Brutal batting
Rohit is brutal when he goes after the bowling, slicing open the gaps, altering lengths, scattering the field and changing the bowlers’ mindset from picking wickets to arresting the flow of runs.
Just consider this. When players walked off for lunch — it was a crucial toss for the host to win — on the opening day of the second Test at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday, India was 106 for three.
Out of this, the dominant Rohit was unbeaten on a rollicking 80 showcasing the extent of his influence.
And India finished the day on 300 for six with opener Rohit conjuring 161, his seventh Test hundred.
Rishabh Pant, playing with typical bravado, was batting on 33 at stumps. Just before close, Joe Root accounted for R. Ashwin with extra bounce. The mode of dismissal would have pleased India.
Earlier, Rohit, the marauder from Mumbai, inflicted considerable damage on England before sweeping left-armer Jack Leach into deep square-leg’s hands. Someone with a measured back-lift, Rohit launched into the new ball with a cover-drive and a straight hit off Stuart Broad. And the goodly crowd roared.
When the ball was short, Rohit cut or pulled. And anything on his leg was whipped ruthlessly.
He used his feet to spinners. Rohit has this rare ability to change the direction of his shot with his flexible wrists to fire the ball through the gaps. Setting fields for him becomes hard.
Delicate shots
If Rohit was dominant with the front foot, we saw some delicate shots off the back foot from Ajinkya Rahane. The Indian vice-captain was in need of runs and he responded with a fine 67, adding 162 runs for the fourth wicket with Rohit.
The manner Rahane travels back, shortens length, creates room and scores runs past or behind point is about quality. He fell attempting to sweep an off-spinner from Moeen Ali that had loop and turn.
For England, Olly Stone displayed raw pace. Shubman Gill misjudged a Stone delivery that nipped back. Gill has the gift of timing but needs to work on his footwork.
Interesting bowler
Stone is an interesting bowler. He has a nice load-up, a quick-arm action and a good release. But then, the Englishmen should have attacked the stumps more.
When Moeen — in for Dom Bess — did so with a sharp off-spinner, he castled Virat Kohli. However, Moeen lacked consistency.
Earlier, the impressive Leach got a delivery to drift into Cheteshwar Pujara and then turn away to find the edge.
India — which rested Jasprit Bumrah, included Mohammed Siraj and gave a Test cap to Axar Patel — has a distinct advantage going into the second day.
Scoreboard
India 1st Innings: Rohit Sharma c Moeen b Jack Leach 161; Shubman Gill lbw b Olly Stone 0; Cheteshwar Pujara c Stokes b Jack Leach 21; Virat Kohli b Moeen 0; Ajinkya Rahane b Moeen 67; Rishabh Pant batting 33; Ravichandran Ashwin c Ollie Pope b Root 13; Axar Patel batting 5.
Total: (for six wickets in 88 overs) 300
Fall of Wickets: 1-0, 2-85, 3-86, 4-248, 5-249, 6-284.
England bowling: Stuart Broad 11-2-37-0, Olly Stone 15-5-42-1, Jack Leach 26-2-78-2, Ben Stokes 2-0-16-0, Moeen Ali 26-3-112-2, Joe Root 8-2-15-1.
