Rohit Shamra's Childhood Coach Reveals: 'First Saw Him As A Bowler, He Was...'
India's ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, is widely regarded as one of the most destructive opening batters in white-ball cricket, known for breaking records and dominating attacks. Despite his celebrated batting prowess, his journey to the top began quite differently. According to his childhood coach, Dinesh Lad, Rohit initially started his cricketing career as a bowler at the age of 12.
Recalling his first encounter with Rohit during a match against his own team, Lad said he was immediately impressed and urged Rohit's uncle to enroll the youngster in his school.
'I first saw him as a bowler, he was about 12 years old. I saw him playing a match against us. Then I told his uncle (Chacha) to get him admitted to my school. The school started in 1995, and I saw Rohit in 1999. He took admission that year. In the first year, he was in under 14. During practice, I kept making him bowl. Next year, Rohit went to 8th standard and was 14 years old," Rohit's coach Lad revealed during a podcast.
How Rohit Turned From Bowler To Batter?
However, Lad admitted he made a mistake by not testing Rohit's batting skills early on. The turning point came when he noticed Rohit practicing in the nets.
'I felt he should be kept in both the under-16 and under-14 teams. One day, while entering the school, I saw a boy knocking (batting). From outside, I saw the bat was coming very straight and good. I didn't know it was Rohit at first. When I went inside, I asked him if he was batting. He said yes, sir. Then I gave him some batting in the nets at number six or seven. Before that, I had never given him batting practice. That was my mistake," he continued.
Rohit made an immediate impact, scoring a fluent 40 runs from number seven in a match, despite the team's loss. Impressed, Lad began promoting him up the order during nets, eventually placing him in the second and third positions. The young Rohit displayed remarkable batting talent, prompting Lad to advise him to focus on batting while continuing to bowl.
'He batted well. In a match, he went in at number seven and scored 40 runs. Very good 40, but unfortunately, we lost the match. When the under-14 practice started after the Harris Shield, the Giles Shield practice was on, I started giving him batting at second and third position in nets. The way he was batting, I felt he had a very good talent for batting. So it was important for him to focus on it. I told him to focus more on batting but keep bowling too," Lad added.
That decision would shape the career of one of India's greatest openers, transforming a young bowler into a batting powerhouse who would go on to dominate world cricket.
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