Asia Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma has always had an incredible fighting spirit, says AB de Villiers

Former South African AB de Villiers reckons Rohit Sharma has always had an incredible fighting spirit. Rohit has delivered the goods for the team consistently over the last decade and he is also doing a fine job as a leader of the side.

Rohit Sharma became the second fastest to scale down the mountain of 10,000 runs in ODI cricket after scoring a fine fifty against Sri Lanka in the Super Fours stage match on Tuesday.

Rohit took 241 innings to get to the milestone whereas Virat Kohli is the fastest to reach the landmark in 205 innings. The Indian skipper has been in decent form in the ongoing Asia Cup, scoring fifties against Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the Super Fours stage.

“Rohit was fourth slowest to 2000 runs, but the second fastest to 10000. How’s that for a comeback. I have a lot of respect for him. The first time I watched him play, I thought this guy has got something special to offer. What I like most about him – from a very young age, he’s always had a fighting spirit. He would not back down to anyone,” said De Villiers on his YouTube Channel.

AB recalled that Rohit Sharma had the fighting spirit in him while facing former gun South African fast bowlers like Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in tough conditions.

“I think of a Test match in Durban where he just wouldn’t stand back to Dale Steyn or Morne Morkel or any of our fast bowlers. He would make eye contact. If anyone chirped him. He would right in their face, chest out. I always liked that. At that time, I didn’t enjoy it because he was there to beat us. But thinking back, he always had this incredible fighting spirit,” De Villiers added.

Meanwhile, Rohit has been giving consistent starts to the team along with Shubman Gill. The opening pair added 121 runs against Pakistan and then added 80 runs against Sri Lanka and have set a perfect platform for the middle order.

“Very interestingly, he has had an incredible partnership with Shubman Gill. Two fighters at the crease is always a dangerous thing for the opposition. As an opening pair, they are averaging 87-odd (95) with a strike rate of 110. If they can do that for India in the World Cup,” said De Villiers.

India will take on Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup 2023 at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Sunday.