Rohit Sharma hits 7th Test century on home soil against England

Chennai: Team India opener Rohit Sharma on Saturday hit his 7th hundred in the ongoing 2nd Test against England at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai. All of Rohit's centuries have come on home soil till date.

Rohit brought up his first hundred against England in Tests off 130 balls as India reached 168 for 3 at the time of publishing this article. He gave the small crowd present at the stadium plenty to cheer about with his flowing drives, reaching the 50-mark in 47 balls.

Rohit was looking in good touch with the bat in the last few weeks since returning to the Test side after injury but wasn't getting the big scores until now.

In Chennai, he was positive right from the onset even though he kept losing partners at the other end. It almost seemed as if he is batting on a different pitch than the rest, having hit 14 boundaries and 2 sixes by the time he reached triple digits.

Rohit has now scored hundreds in each of the 3 formats against 4 different opponents - Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa and England. No other



player has managed to achieve this feat against more than 2 opponents.

India got off to a poor start as Shubman Gill was dismissed for a duck in the second over as Olly Stone (1-14) trapped him lbw. Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara then added 85 runs for the second wicket.

Pujara fell against the run of play, caught at slip for 21 off Jack Leach (1-23).

Moeen Ali then clean bowled Virat Kohli for a five-ball duck. The Indian skipper was bowled playing an expansive stroke as the ball turned in sharply.

But Rohit carried on playing his natural game and finally got to triple digits in the second session after India won the toss and opted to bat first at Chepauk.

Beaten by 227 runs in the first match of the four-Test series, India dropped Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Nadeem, while resting Jasprit Bumrah for the match.

All-rounder Axar Patel is making his Test debut while left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and quick Mohammed Siraj were recalled.