By Sirshendu Panth
Kolkata, Nov 13 (IANS): Stylish Rohit Sharma scripted a fairytale return to big-time cricket by cracking a world record 264 as India toyed with a hapless Sri Lanka to post a mammoth 404 for five in the fourth One-Day International (ODI) match at the Eden Gardens here Thursday.
The 27-year-old Sharma, who had to pull out of the England tour in August following a finger injury, authored one of the biggest comeback celebrations the game has ever seen before 30,000-odd mesmerised fans at the majestic Eden Gardens that completed 150 years.
He is now the only batsman to score two ODI double hundreds, having plundered 206 against Australia last November at Bangalore.
Records tumbled as Rohit (173 b, 33x4, 9x6) unleashed a bewildering array of cricketing shots, and almost made a habit of hitting fours and sixes with effortless ease.
In the 47th over, the Mumbaikar lifted Shaminda Eranga over the long on fence to surpass the existing highest ODI score (219) compiled by compatriot Virender Sehwag in 2011 at Indore against the West Indies.
Opening the innings alongside Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit propelled the Indians to the biggest total at the Eden, playing the major partner in a 155-ball, 202-run stand with skipper Virat Kohli (66; 64 b, 6x4) for the third wicket.
The Lankans, who have already lost the five-game series by losing the first three matches, had a poor outing on the field. Not only did their bowlers bowl wayward in line and length, becoming chicken fodder for Rohit, the fielders also joined in the pathetic show.
Luck was clearly with Sharma, who has been in and out of the Indian team since he made his ODI debut in 2007, as he got three ‘lives’.
He was dropped at four by Thisara Perera at third-man, before being given another life by Seekkuge Prasanna a ball after he completed his double hundred. A little later, Lahiru Thirimanne let go another chance behind the square when the rampaging batsman was on 222.
But the blemishes paled into insignificance in comparison to the thrill and enjoyment Rohit gave the fans, with a firefly-like ambience created in the galleries as the spectators stood on their feet with darkness setting in to capture every moment of the unbelievable knock on their mobile cameras.
Kohli opted to bat first on a pitch which had a smattering of grass. The decision, as he said, was to avoid use of the middle after dark when the ball does things under the lights.
Rahane (28) threw the gauntlet at the Lankans in the day’s very first over plundering three boundaries with sublime timing and touch artistry. The victim Nuwan Kulasekara was taken off after only two overs.
Rahane’s aggressive knock came to an end in the eighth over as he tried to work Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews to the leg side, missed and was struck a little above the knee.
Ambati Rayudu (8) did not last long, as Eranga uprooted his stump with a delivery that straightened after pitching.
The dismissal brought in the Indian skipper, who joined Rohit in clinically decimating the Islanders’ attack.
Rohit reached his 100 off 100 balls by pushing Eranga to the square leg for a single, and held his arms high to scamper down the pitch pointing repeatedly to the sky before going down on his knees to accept the thunderous applause from the crowd.
He reached his 200 with a boundary off Kulasekara in the 46th over before his essay, that will be talked of in glowing terms for years, came to an ended on the final ball of the innings.
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