Australian speedster, Josh Hazlewood heaped praises for Indian captain and opener, Rohit Sharma as he called him a tough batter to bowl to ahead of the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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As both teams gear up for the Australian Test summer where India tour Australia for a five-match series, words of respect have been exchanged between the two camps at every possible opportunity.
Hazlewood acknowledged Rohit's success against fast bowlers which revealed in a video posted by Star Sports on their social media.
Is Rohit Sharma India's best batter against pace?
Hazlewood compared Rohit's previous tours to Australia where he once batted lower down the order and then opened in the next tour, acknowledging that the Indian batter plays against the quicks extremely well.
READ MORE: Green Park Stadium, Kanpur: Pitch report and records.
"I remember one time when India came [to Australia], he batted 5 or 6 and [also] the last time he opened. He's faced the new ball a lot, whether it be in any format. He plays the quicks unbelievably well. The bounce and movement don't seem to worry him. He has got all the time in the world, so I find him quite tough to bowl to," said the 33-year-old.
Is Nathan Lyon the answer to Rohit for Australia?
Hazlewood vouched for Nathan Lyon to counter Rohit Sharma's threat during Test matches in Australia.
"I think Gaza [Nathan Lyon] has had some good success against him, particularly in Australia so might be a case to get him on early as well," he concluded.
🔥 🆚 🔥
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) September 25, 2024
Australian speedster #JoshHazlewood is all praise for #RohitSharma’s rock-solid batting and impeccable technique against quicks! 💪🏻
The #ToughestRivalry unfolds in #AUSvINDOnStar, FRI 22 NOV onwards 💙 pic.twitter.com/4fKTw1tJNi
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What is Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's record against Josh Hazlewood in Tests?
| Player | Innings | Balls | Dismissals | Runs Scored | Average | 4s/6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 11 | 171 | 2 | 54 | 27 | 4/0 |
| Virat Kohli | 14 | 335 | 3 | 167 | 55.66 | 21/1 |
Australia who last won a Border-Gavaskar trophy way back in the home series in 2014/15 would be desperate to turn things around in the upcoming series that is set to begin from November 22 with five Tests scheduled till January 7.
MORE: Lord's pitch report: Average scores, most runs, highest wicket-takers in ODIs
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