Srinagar: Team India captain Rohit Sharma has names the toughest bowler he has faced terming him the “nightmare”.
Rohit, on being asked if there’s ever been a bowler that has given him nightmares, played down the terms but named South Africa great Dale Steyn as someone he’s had trouble facing.
“I have gone and watched his videos like 100 times before I went in to bat. That was Dale Steyn. He is an absolute legend of the game. And what he has achieved in his career is just superb to watch. And I have faced him many times. He is quick. He used to swing the ball at that pace, which is not easy. It is quite tough. And he was a fierce competitor. He just went out there wanting to do everything, to win every game and every session, so it was nice to come up against him. Not that I had much success against him, but I enjoyed my battles,” Rohit said in an interaction with Dubai Eye 103.8.
Steyn dismissed Rohit just once in international cricket – at a Boxing Day Test for a duck – but the Proteas pacer bowled some memorable spells against the India opener.
This isn’t the first time Rohit acknowledged being challenged by Steyn. Last year, during an interview with Indian sports journalist Vimal Kumar, Rohit said the same thing.
“If a bowler challenged me, and I had fun playing against him, it has to be Dale Steyn. He never deviated from the ideal length. He used to swing [the ball] at a high pace. There are a few bowlers who make the ball swing above 140 [kmph]”.