'He's in team for that all-round package': Ex-England opener heaps praise on Rohit Sharma

Heaping praise on Rohit Sharma, former England skipper Alastair Cook has backed the swashbuckling batsman to hold the opening slot for India in Tests for a while after having moved from the middle-order. Reviewing Rohit's brilliant knock in the second Test at Chepauk, the former England opener remarked that he looked 'absolutely world-class' and also pointed out his weaknesses which can be targetted. Comparing the Mumbai-lad with Virender Sehwag, Cook stated that the former Indian opener is more attacking while Rohit is in the 'next tier of aggressiveness'. 

“He is a little bit more attacking than I was. He is not quite Sehwag in terms of that kind of attack he (Sehwag) is probably is one of the most attacking and successful opening batsmen. Rohit is probably in the next tier of aggressiveness but he looked so controlled. In that innings, he wanted to attack when he wanted, everything looked quite controlled,” Alastair Cook said on BBC Test Match Special after Rohit Sharma's 161 put India in a pole position in the ongoing second Test at the Chepauk. 

“He is here to stay for a while. They like having him in the squad and he is in the team for that all-round package — Clearly his runs and the manner he gets his runs, if he gets in, he is going to do what he has done,” Cook added. 

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On a pitch where every English batsman struggled to get going, Rohit Sharma put on a complete masterclass as he helped India register 329 runs in the first innings of the Test. The Mumbai-lad smacked 18 boundaries and 2 maximums, attacking most spinners, as he brought up his 7th Test ton. He nearly breached the 200-run mark before he was dismissed by Jack Leach as he attempted to sweep him for a boundary. In the second innings which is currently underway, Rohit Sharma has braved the turning pitch at Chennai and dug deep to hold one end strong. At the end of play on day 2, Sharma remained unbeaten after playing 62 balls and scoring 25 runs. 

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Ashwin bags another fifer

With the new ball in hand on the morning of Day 2, Ravi Ashwin ensured that he made the most of it by making the ball talk on a raging turner after India had posted a stiff total of 329 batting first. He asked tough questions to the English batsmen on a deteriorating surface as they were left clueless. The senior spinner accounted for the likes of opener Dom Sibley, number three batsman Dan Lawrence, middle-order batsman Ben Stokes, tail-enders Olly Stone, Jack Leach and, Stuart Broad to complete his five-wicket haul. 

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Meanwhile, this is the Tamil Nadu cricketer's 29th five-wicket haul in Test cricket and also his second successive fifer in the ongoing Test series. He finished with figures of 5/43 from his 23.5 overs at an economy of 1.80. Ashwin's five-wicket haul, as well as vital contributions from other Indian bowlers, ensured that England were bundled out for a paltry total of 134 in reply to the hosts' first innings score of 329 as they enjoyed a mammoth lead of 195 runs. Team India in their second innings are currently 53/1 with opener Rohit Sharma and number three batsman Cheteshwar Pujara out in the middle. Kohli & Co. now lead by 248 runs. 

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