Stand-in-skipper Rohit Sharma has emerged as the 2nd Indian captain after legendary cricketer Rahul Dravid to emerge victorious in his first four series as captain. He achieved this unique distinction after India trounced Bangladesh in the finals of the Asia Cup on Friday, lifting the trophy for a record 7th time.
All-rounder Kedar Jadhav emerged as the match-winner for his side with both bat and ball in a crucial clash which could have gone either way. Bangladesh openers Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan ensured a steady start of 120 runs in the initial 20 overs after being sent in to bat first by captain Rohit Sharma. However, Jadhav delivered the breakthrough which the Indian team was in dire need of instantly, dismissing Hasan off the first ball of his first over.
The batting since could never recover from that blow, crumbling for a score of 222, on the back of effective bowling performances by Jadhav and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav. However, the chase was not as smooth as expected with India in a spot of bother following Dhoni's dismissal having lost the likes of Ambati Rayadu and Shikhar Dhawan cheaply early on. A steady partnership between Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja stabilised the Indian chase at this stage.
However, Jadeja's dismissal forced a hasty return from Kedar Jadhav who had earlier walked off the pitch due to hamstring concerns. Jadhav did not disappoint scoring the winning runs off the last ball, delivering the goods under pressure.
Sharma was first appointed the captain of the Indian team back in 2017 after the selectors opted to rest Virat Kohli for an away series against Sri Lanka. A successful campaign where the side clinched the ODI and T-20 series as well ensured regular opportunities, which culminated in this glorious feat.
