In a recent interview with cricket.com, former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris reflected on his early impressions of Rohit Sharma during the 2008 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
Styris, who shared the dressing room with Sharma at the now-defunct Deccan Chargers, recalls recognizing Sharma’s potential from the very beginning.
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What did Scott Styris say about Rohit Sharma?
Styris, who was part of the Deccan Chargers in IPL 2008, remembers being impressed by Rohit Sharma’s talent even at a young age.
At just 19 or 20 years old, Sharma caught the attention of Styris, who could see the potential for greatness in him.
“It (IPL 2008) was my first opportunity to be a teammate and see (and hear of ) Rohit Sharma. He was with us at the Deccan Chargers. He was 19 or 20 years old at that time and I could see then that this kid was something special," said Styris.
Even after 16 years, Styris found Sharma to be unchanged in his demeanour and approach to the game.
"I’ve just come back from Sri Lanka where I commentated on India vs Sri Lanka, caught up with him there and he’s still the same guy that he was 16 years ago,” added Styris.
How did the Deccan Chargers Perform in IPL 2008?
The Deccan Chargers, despite having a promising squad, had a disappointing IPL 2008 season. According to Styris, the team finished at the bottom of the table due to issues with team balance and strategy.
“The very first year we were favourites to win it and we came last. Part of that was because we didn’t have a great balance. We had great names on paper but you’re only allowed to play four overseas players,” he commented.
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“We’d either load up the batting and the bowling would be weak, or we’d load up the bowling and the batting would be weak. When we tried to load it up with all-rounders, we were a little bit bits and pieces and weren’t quite strong enough in any of them and ended up coming last,” he added.
The Deccan Chargers' fortunes changed dramatically in the second season of the IPL. Under the captaincy of Adam Gilchrist, the team addressed the balance issues and went on to win the title.
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