Ishant Sharma Asking Rohit Sharma 'You Think You Can Hit Me?' Is No Less Than A Challenge
It was a small battle between batsman and bowler.
Batsmen and bowlers have always taken on each other, be it verbally, through gestures or simply with the tricks of their trade. Sometimes it crosses the line and on many occasions it is in the healthy spirit of competition.
Well the IPL 2019 clash between DC and MI had one such minor exchange. That happened between Ishant Sharma and Rohit Sharma. Yes it was the battle of the Sharmas.
So what actually happened? Well Ishant bowled a ball and Rohit advanced down the track in a bit to go over the top. Except he failed to connect and the ball went through to the keeper. Now normally that would be the end of it but Ishant just could not stop from making a cheeky remark and asked - you think you can hit me?
Cricinfo
Rohit ended up making a 22-ball 30 before Amit Mishra got the better of him. Ishant failed to take wickets but conceded only 17 runs in 3 overs, a pretty good economy rate when his side ended up conceding a total of 168 runs.
So what made Ishant get a little naughty. Well maybe he wanted to get under Rohit's skin. After all the latter's record in the IPL is pretty good and he has dispatched some of the best bowlers into the stands. Perhaps this was Ishant's way of saying Rohit was not good enough to hit him out of the park.
Whatever was the reason, it was like a challenge to the MI skipper who was quick to laugh it off. Luckily, this did not escalate as both players saw the funny side of it. Those rare occasions when banter is actually just the way it is supposed to be - fun and games.
If these guys face off in the playoffs we might see Rohit come up with a response. After all he never backs down from a fight. But truth be told we have seen worse on the cricket field and this hardly scratches the surface. Kudos to both these players for keeping their cool and not letting a mountain develop out of a molehill.
MI went on to win by 40 runs and are in 2nd spot at the moment. DC have dropped to 3rd. Both are strong contenders to make it into the playoffs and who knows, might even end up facing off in the title clash. Will these guys go at it then? Time will tell.
