301 and counting... - Mumbai Indians
One of the most respected coaches in the world today, Singh knows what it takes to hit sixes on a consistent basis.Andy Moles, who coaches the Afghanistan national team, terms him a “complete package”.
Fifty runs to get. Four overs to go. In comes Mujeeb Ur Rahman to bowl his last over. At that point in time, the Afghanistan spinner’s figures read 3-0-23-2. He had accounted for Evin Lewis and Ishan Kishan in his first and second overs, respectively. With Rohit Sharma and Krunal Pandya in the middle, the match is set up for a fantastic finish. Rahman bowls off-spin, leg-spin and googlies at will. Andy Moles, who coaches the Afghanistan national team, terms him a “complete package”.
Rahman’s first ball is flat and straight. Sharma clears the front leg and lofts it over long-on for a massive six. Prior to that ball, the skipper was on four off six deliveries. That six was his first boundary of the night. That’s not all. It was also his 300th six in Twenty20 cricket.
Three hundred sixes. Yes, you read that right. Three hundred sixes in just 267 innings. Sharma played out the next two balls and picked up a single of the fourth before Krunal Pandya got him back on strike for the final delivery of the over.
In an attempt to cramp Sharma for room, Rahman bowls a quicker one on his pads. And what does Sharma do? Well, he coolly flicks him over mid-wicket for his Six No. 301. The equation was down to 36 off 18 and we needed just 12 to seal the deal.
With the help of those monstrous hits, Sharma became the first Indian — nay Asian — to cross the 300 barrier in the shortest format of the game. Sharma beat compatriots Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan and Robin Uthappa to the coveted mark.
ON TOP OF THE TREE
Rohit Sharma is the only Indian batsman with 300-plus sixes in T20s
* Updated after KXIP vs MI on May 4, 2018
In the Vivo IPL, Sharma’s six count is second only to that of Chris Gayle. The Mumbaikar has a whopping 183 sixes in 163 innings. He is ahead of Dhoni, Raina, AB de Villiers, Kohli, David Warner, Pathan, Kieron Pollard and Shane Watson.
SECOND ONLY TO GAYLE
Rohit Sharma has hit a whopping 183 sixes over 11 Vivo IPL seasons
* Updated after KXIP vs MI on May 4, 2018
Mumbai Indians batting coach Robin Singh put into perspective Sharma’s fantastic achievement. Singh credited Sharma’s six-hitting prowess to his sweet timing and uncanny ability to pick the length early.
“I think he’s an exceptional batsman. He’s somebody who can play all formats of the game equally well. He has a temperament to play the longer format and he’s always been an attacking batsman. When he bats, he looks the best across the globe. Hitting sixes is all about timing and he picks up the length really well, and he’s not afraid to hit through the line. These guys are pretty strong today. He’s got a lot of timing. He uses his wrists to great advantage. He hits through the line of the ball very quickly,” Singh says.
He goes on to explain how Sharma has worked on developing this skill. “However, success has a lot to do with being consistent. Over the years, he has been exceptionally consistent. He understands the nature of the wickets and he’s a sort of player who likes the ball coming on. So, he uses the pace of the ball quite a lot to hit these sixes. And, apart from that, he has the all-round game to hit so many sixes. Fortunately, as I said, he’s a special talent. You don’t learn these things overnight. It’s because of the hard work that you put in over the years. You practise these things as well. You practise different shots. It’s not only about hitting sixes. He plays a lot of innovative shots as well. For him, I think it’s about spending a little bit of time at the crease. Once he does that, he can take down any bowler. As you’ve seen this year, the moment he spends some time at the crease, he’s able to take down any bowling attack at any given point in time,” Singh adds.
Sharma is in seventh position on the all-time list of six-hitters in Twenty20 cricket. It’s a very elite club led by Gayle.
WORLD STANDARD
Rohit Sharma is No. 7 on the all-time list of six-hitters in Twenty20 cricket
The 54-year-old Singh represented India in 136 ODIs from 1989 to 2001. A left-hander, he was known to hit the ball long and hard. One of the most respected coaches in the world today, Singh knows what it takes to hit sixes on a consistent basis. Here’s his advice to youngsters who wish to develop this skill: “I think it’s important to hold your shape and understand which areas you can target. And you need to really back yourself and hit along the line. These guys are quite strong today. But it’s not just about power. It’s about timing,” he explains.
According to Singh, six-hitting is absolutely essential in today’s day and age. Given that the game has evolved so much, those 10 to 15 extra runs always make the difference. “It is important to make people understand that you have to bat at a particular strike-rate. As you can see, the game has evolved over the past 10 years. The scores are becoming bigger and bigger. So, even as a batsman, you also have to up your game. If you have a strike-rate of 130, then work hard to make it 140. It will make a big difference. Those 10-15 extra runs always count. We conceded 10-15 extra runs in an over in some of the games. And we lost those games. Everything is critical today. Every small thing in T20 makes a huge difference. As a batsman, you need to improve your strike-rate and your all-round game.
Singh is absolutely right. The best practitioners in Twenty20 cricket boast amazing strike-rates. Sharma himself scores 135 runs every 100 balls in Twenty20 Internationals. In all T20s, the corresponding number is 133. That’s awesome for a top-order batsman who has amassed 7,250 runs in 267 innings at an average of over 32.
We asked Singh about the training that goes into becoming a great hitter. Simply put, it’s a mix of strength and skills. “Gym work helps. But only to an extent. Honestly speaking, it’s about the ability of a batsman to pick the length of the ball. Then you need to back yourself to clear the line. Yes, the grounds are becoming slightly smaller. But, if you see, batsmen are hitting sixes that go even further. So, it (dimensions) doesn’t really make a difference. When you decide to hit a six, you have to hit a six. That’s the only way you can get a score of 200 in 20 overs. You have to average eight, nine and 10 runs an over on a consistent basis. And we have seen that bowlers don’t have much to do in this format. They have to be at the top of the line, otherwise they will go for 10 an over. And 10 an over is almost a given today. As a batsman, the important thing is that you have to practise hitting sixes out of the ground. You have find your areas where you can hit a six, and practise innovative shots as well,” he says.
Needless to say, Sharma is a batting colossus. His six-hitting is laced with power and elegance in equal measure. His balance, timing, presence of mind, natural talent and willingness to take on bowlers holds him in good stead.
Congratulations, Captain. Here’s to many, many more maximums.
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