Noida, December 25
Former India cricketer Madan Lal has hailed the presence of senior stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in domestic cricket, stating that their participation not only lifts the standard of the tournament but also inspires fans and youngsters.
"Star cricketers playing domestic cricket certainly attracts so much crowd. Virat and Rohit take a lot of pride in their cricket, be it domestic or international, and that's what makes them great players," Madan Lal said on their appearances in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Kohli and Kohli's, two of Indian cricket's most decorated batters, recently turned out for their respective state teams and delivered standout performances. Kohli's fluent 131 off 101 balls guided Delhi to a four-wicket victory against Andhra Pradesh in Bengaluru. The knock showcased his class and commitment, as he anchored the chase under pressure and ensured Delhi crossed the line comfortably.
Rohit, meanwhile, produced a masterclass for Mumbai, smashing an unbeaten 155 off just 94 deliveries to take his side home against Sikkim. The opener dominated the bowling attack with ease, underlining his intent and match-winning ability even at the domestic level.
In Mumbai's clash against Sikkim at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium, people chanted endlessly for the 'Hitman' as after Sikkim posted 236/7 with their keeper-batter Ashish Thapa top-scoring with 87-ball 79, consisting of eight fours, Rohit shaved off a massive chunk of the target himself, with a majestic 94 ball 155*, consisting of 18 fours and nine sixes and runs scored at a strike rate of 164.89, with Angkrish Raghuvanshi (38 in 58 balls, with four boundaries) and Musheer Khan (27* in 26 balls, with two fours) getting to enjoy the festivities from the best seat in the house, standing at the non-striker's end for the most part.
Moving to Bengaluru, after Delhi opted to bowl first, Ricky Bhui's 105-ball 122 (with 11 fours and seven sixes) posed to Delhi a stiff target of 299 runs, with pacer Simarjeet Singh's fifer being the highlight as Andhra Pradesh scored 298/8 in 50 overs. After Arpit Rana's early dismissal, Virat, who struck 14 fours and three sixes in his chanceless knock, had partnerships with a young Priyansh Arya (74 in 44 balls, with seven fours and five sixes) and Nitish Rana (77 in 55 balls, with nine fours and two sixes) as Delhi completed the chase with four wickets and almost 12 overs in hand. Skipper Rishabh Pant (5) endured a tough outing.
During his knock, Virat became the second Indian after Sachin Tendulkar to complete 16,000 List-A runs and struck his 58th List-A ton.
Madan Lal also stressed the importance of strengthening India's bowling resources, especially with red-ball cricket in mind.
"As far as the bowling is concerned, it needs to step up as Test cricket depends a lot on the bowling line-up," he added.
- ANI
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