Surface wasn’t easy to bat on: Rathour

NAGPUR: Australia made Rohit Sharma “work hard” for his 120-run knock and it was a special effort since it came on a track that wasn’t easy to bat on, India batting coach Vikram Rathour said after the host strengthened its position in the series-opener.

Rohit’s hundred and half-centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel has given India a first innings lead of 144, going into the third day.

“It was a special innings by Rohit and it is a great feeling (to see him score runs). He showed good temperament and it was very important innings as the surface wasn’t easy to bat on,” Rathour said at the end of the second day’s play.

Since he started opening in Test matches, Rohit has played some great knocks but the three hundreds that stand out include his epic 161 on a Chepauk snake pit, a ton at the Oval and Friday’s knock on a low, slow turner against Australia.

“That is the quality of his batting,” Rathour said.

“He has got runs on seaming tracks in England. But if we talk about this particular innings, he was made to work hard for his runs. Normally, with Rohit when he scores his first few runs, he then pushes the score. But here he had to work hard,” the former Test opener said.

India scored 95 runs in the final session, courtesy a 81-run stand between Axar (52 batting) and Jadeja (66 batting) but Rathour didn’t want to sound complacent about the fact that the match is as good as in India’s pocket.

“I don’t think so. You can’t say till the last ball is bowled,” he said cautiously.

When asked if Axar’s batting came into consideration when he was picked ahead of Kuldeep, Rathour denied emphatically.

“He (Axar) has been exceptional with the ball so that was not even a consideration. Yes, (his) batting is a bonus,” he added.