Rohit Lights Up The Dark

In a match which was briefly disrupted due to floodlight malfunction in Cuttack, India captain hits ton to power hosts

- GOMESH S @ Cuttack

SHREYAS Iyer raised his arms aloft as India captain Rohit Sharma walked towards his batting partner at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday. As the ball (off England spinner Adil Rashid) he had smacked hit the long-off stands, Sharma hugged Iyer before raising his bat for his 32nd ODI century to acknowledge a loud, sellout crowd for the second ODI.

There was no ecstatic jump or punch in the air or an emotional roar. He did not even remove his helmet as is considered a custom after scoring a hundred. Sharma walked around a bit raising his bat, thanked the heavens before moving towards the square leg umpire. He stood there for a minute. He had been yearning for runs all these days.

It was not easy, especially when those aging limbs don't move as desired. For Sharma this is more than just a century. It was cathartic. It was an answer, though for the moment, to all the vilification and criticism that he had been bombarded with since last year, starting with the New Zealand Test series. Poor form had been dogging him and results as a captain dried up too. Days before the ICC Champions Trophy this was a big relief for the India skipper and the team.