By Rohit - February 19, 2025 05:49 PMA video has gone viral showing Indian captain Rohit Sharma teasing a local UAE left-arm pacer during a net session in Dubai ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. India is preparing for their tournament opener against Bangladesh on February 20th at the ICC Cricket Academy.
Rohit, who recently silenced critics with a century against England, acknowledged the quality of the net bowler, Awais Ahmad, while playfully teasing him. The Indian captain, known to sometimes struggle against left-arm pace, especially early in his innings, used the net session to prepare for the Champions Trophy.
In the video, Rohit can be heard saying, "Class bowler. Aap humara joota… pair todne ki kosish kar rahe the inswing yorker maar ke. Badiya bhai badiya. Aap log humko yaha help kar rahe ho, bada acha laga, thank you (You were trying to target my shoes and break my leg with inswinging yorkers. Well bowled, brother. I felt very good that you guys have been helping us practice. Thank you)."
The interaction highlights Rohit's good-natured personality and his appreciation for the net bowlers who play a crucial role in team preparations. The net session on February 17th seemed productive for Rohit, as he was seen timing the ball well. Despite his recent century, his form has been a topic of discussion due to inconsistent scores in the preceding series.
Rohit Sharma boasts an impressive record in Dubai. In his last ODI at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (the Asia Cup 2018 final), he scored 48 runs off 55 balls. Overall, he has amassed 303 runs in five ODI innings at the venue, averaging 105.66 with one century and two fifties.
He also has a strong record against Bangladesh. In 17 innings, he has scored 786 runs at an average of 56.14, including three centuries and three fifties.
Rohit is close to achieving a significant milestone in the Champions Trophy. He has played 10 Champions Trophy matches, scoring 481 runs at an average of 53.44, with one century and four half-centuries. He is just 19 runs away from becoming the fifth Indian batsman to reach 500 runs in the tournament. The current top scorers for India in the Champions Trophy are Shikhar Dhawan (701 runs), Sourav Ganguly (627 runs), Rahul Dravid (627 runs), and Virat Kohli (529 runs). The match against Bangladesh provides Rohit with the perfect opportunity to join this elite club.
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