Rohit Sharma's stunning innings in the T20 World Cup left none other than Sir Vivian Richards, the legendary West Indian cricketer, in awe.
Viv Richards, often revered as the original "Master Blaster," was a trailblazer in ODI cricket. In 1984, long before "daddy hundreds" became common, Richards smashed 184 runs against England, a record that stood as the highest individual score by a West Indian until Chris Gayle's double century in 2015. Richards' impact on the game was so profound that opposing teams often strategised around dismissing him early to secure a win. Kapil Dev's iconic catch in the 1983 World Cup final wouldn't have been as legendary if it hadn't been to dismiss Richards.
Even 40 years later, Richards holds the second and third-highest individual scores for West Indies in ODIs. His 181 against Sri Lanka in the 1987 World Cup is another testament to his extraordinary talent. Given his stature, when someone like Richards takes notice of a player, it's clear that something remarkable has occurred.
Enter Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain known for his extraordinary achievements in ODI cricket—three double-centuries, the most centuries in a World Cup, the most sixes in international cricket, and the highest score in ODIs. However, it was Rohit's performance against Australia in the Super Eight game of the T20 World Cup that truly impressed Richards. At the St. Lucia cricket stadium in Antigua, where Richards was born and raised, Rohit delivered a breathtaking 92 off 41 balls, one of the most brutal assaults ever witnessed against an Australian team. Richards, watching from the stands, was so impressed that he clapped for Rohit’s performance.
"I always knew that if they can beat Australia, no team will be able to stop them. You look at that game against Australia; it was as if Rohit Sharma took it personally. That is the home ground of Viv Richards, and someone told me that when he was watching the match, he was in awe. To have someone like Viv Richards in awe even for half an hour, it means your life is made. If Viv Richards is watching the match and you make him clap, there is nothing like it," veteran sports journalist Vimal Kumar shared on the '2 Sloggers' podcast.
Rohit played like a man possessed that day in St. Lucia. Still reeling from India's loss to Australia in the 2023 World Cup final, he channelled that pain into a vengeful performance. He took on Mitchell Starc, smashing 29 runs off a single over, including four sixes, and adding a fifth in the next over. In total, Rohit hammered eight sixes, each hit fueled by the lingering pain from November 19. His innings could easily be considered one of the greatest in T20 World Cup history, playing a crucial role in eliminating Australia from the tournament.
After one of India's matches, Richards even visited the Indian dressing room to wish them well. "If there is one team I want to see winning this World Cup after West Indies, it's you guys," he said—a wish that Team India ultimately fulfilled.