‘Stay till…’- Rohit Sharma refines slip-catching technique after Ollie Pope's dismissal in 2nd Test

India won the second Test against England, which took place on February 2-5, by 106 runs. India scored 396 and 255 in their two innings, whereas England scored 253 and 292. Jasprit Bumrah, the Player of the Match, delivered a fantastic performance, capturing six wickets for 45 runs and scoring six runs with the bat. Notably, Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 209 runs throughout the match. India's choice to bat first after winning the toss was important to their victory at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.

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Rohit Sharma made a huge statement about Pope’s catch during the 2nd Test of IND vs ENG 

During the Vizag Test between India and England, Rohit Sharma demonstrated his fielding abilities with a spectacular catch to eliminate Ollie Pope. Pope's aggressive innings, punctuated by five boundaries, came to an end thanks to Rohit's outstanding performance.

In the second innings, as Ashwin threw a ball around the wicket, Pope tried a booming cut shot to the off side. However, the implementation produced a thick outer edge. Rohit was positioned at slip and faced a difficult assignment as the ball sped towards him at high speed.

Despite the challenge, Rohit used lightning reflexes to grip the ball safely. With both hands firmly on the ball, the Indian captain ensured it did not escape his grasp, resulting in Pope's ejection.

This important catch by Rohit played a key role in India's 106-run victory against England in the second Test, bringing the series level. According to a video posted by BCCI on X, Rohit Sharma said:

“As a slip fielder, you are always ready for it. Idea is to just stay still and then react,”

Pope emerged as a strong opponent for India in the Hyderabad Test, when he scored an impressive 196 runs. His outstanding effort helped England to a dramatic 28-run victory at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Pope continued to show his supremacy in the Vizag Test, scoring 23 runs off only 21 deliveries, including five boundaries. Recognising Pope's aggressive approach as a threat, Ashwin and Rohit worked together to eliminate him. Rohit, fully aware of the need of slowing Pope's momentum early on, demonstrated great judgement by completing the important catch with Ashwin. This strategy manoeuvre was essential in reducing Pope's impact on the game and increasing India's prospects of winning.  Rohit Sharma added:

“It was a crucial wicket for us because he was someone who was in good form,” 

“Sometimes the ball comes so quickly that you don’t get time to react and take your body there. So, your hands need to be there at the right time and right place. I hope to take many more in the series like that,”

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India won the second Test to level the series 1-1; the 3rd Test of India vs England will be played on February 15, 2024 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot in Gujarat.