Continuing his century from the previous Test in Dominia, Indian captain Rohit Sharma extended his dominance over the West Indies in the second Test at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad. He displayed a seamless and effortless performance, scoring a remarkable 80 runs off 143 balls.
Having been asked to bat first by West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite, who cited the presence of moisture on the surface, India’s openers, Rohit Sharma and the young Yashasvi Jaiswal, remained unfazed by the West Indies pacers. The pitch seemed more akin to those found in Asian conditions rather than the typical West Indies pitches.
Despite some unevenness on the surface, Brathwaite’s decision to bowl first appeared to be questionable, as India’s batsmen seemed comfortable on the pitch. The conditions looked favorable for batting, especially evident in the composed and unbeaten performance of Rohit and Jaiswal, who both reached their fifties before Lunch. Rohit Sharma’s half-century was particularly noteworthy, as he effortlessly smashed Kemar Roach for a six, making it one of the easiest fifties he has achieved in his Test career.
Rohit Sharma seemed poised for yet another century, but when he reached a score of 80, his focus wavered, as has been a recurring theme after getting a good start. Unfortunately, he couldn’t convert it into a three-figure score and was clean bowled by the left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican.
"A real beauty from Warrican!"
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) July 20, 2023
Rohit Sharma goes for 80! ❌ pic.twitter.com/kwYYL8iKT1
Rohit Sharma displayed clear disappointment upon getting dismissed, especially since he was well-set and had his sights on achieving back-to-back Test centuries.