Karachi: Zaheer Abbas, one of Pakistan’s most elegant batsmen, says he doesn’t move away from his TV set when India opener Rohit Sharma is batting.
The former captain singled out Rohit for special praise while discussing the Indian team’s impressive performances in recent times. “I don’t move from the television screen when he (Rohit) is batting. His batting gives me real satisfaction and watching him play is pure bliss,” Abbas said in an interview.
Abbas said he considered Rohit a special talent because of his ability to create shots whenever he wanted to. “I admire the way he creates a shot and plays where he wants to. He picks up the ball very early and that is special,” he said about Rohit who scored five hundreds in last year’s World Cup in England.
Rested for the just-concluded T20 series against Sri Lanka, Rohit will be back to opening the innings when India face Australia in the first of three one-day internationals in Mumbai Tuesday.
Abbas, who was among the first Asian batsmen to make 100 first-class hundreds, said Virat Kohli, without an iota of doubt, is the backbone of the Indian team.
“I admire Rohit because I enjoy his batting and when I am watching him bat people in my house ask what about Virat Kohli, and I tell them ‘look I am not saying Kohli is less’.
“Kohli is Kohli. Let me put it this way, I get satisfaction watching them both bat.”
Abbas also put down the success of the Indian team to its cricket board not making too many changes to its domestic circuit and inflow of money.
“The money has made a big difference to the players because now they realise that they just have to focus on their game and play like professionals and the rewards they get are great. They have financially been given so much security by their board.”
PTI