I am under no pressure, asserts Rohit

There is no better sight in cricket when Rohit Sharma is in full flow. The problem, though, is that his immense talent has not translated into big scores in Test cricket.

The blame for that lies squarely with Sharma, despite the backing of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Both the captains, especially the latter, have often said that Sharma is too good a talent to be overlooked and that he can change the face of the game in a matter of a session when he gets going.

But critics have pointed at the repeated failures from the umpteen chances that he has received in white flannels. After two back-to-back centuries in his first two Tests, the Mumbaikar has gone through 33 Test innings without a three-figure mark. On Sunday, he scored 82 in trying circumstances, coming close to that elusive hundred.

The team could not have asked for anything more, as his knock came at such a crucial juncture. He walked in when India were reeling at 43/4 in the 14th over. Seeing uneven bounce on the pitch and Kohli being tested from the other end, Sharma brought stability into the innings.

The 29-year-old's knock would have sealed his place for the time being, despite the first innings failure. Perhaps, Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan were in the same boat. While Dhawan failed yet again, Sharma made his count. Even in the first Test, he delivered in the second innings with an unbeaten 68.

Did he feel he was under pressure to prove himself? "Did I look under pressure here or in the first Test?" came a counter question from Sharma, before he shrugged his shoulders. "As far as I am concerned, I am under no pressure. Every time I play, it is only the media that says I'm under pressure," said Sharma after the third day's play.

Sharma forms a vital cog in the line-up as he has to bat with the lower-half. As has been the trend in recent times, India's tail has bailed the team out after top-order failures. But Sharma prefers to call the lower half as "the lower middle-order and not tailenders".

"Psychologically, it (lower half coming good) helps the top-order. They can play their shots if they want to. But I am sure at no point they must be thinking that the lower-order will chip in, because every batsmen who goes in the middle wants to score runs. That depth gives you a leverage to play your shots and be aggressive and more expressive," Sharma said.

"Even in the West Indies our tail-enders are proper lower-order batsmen. Ashwin has got Test hundreds, Saha has got hundred, Bhuvi occasionally has scored a fifty -- he has scored fifties in England – Jadeja has scored runs. You never know, Shami might get a fifty tomorrow (Monday).

"So, it gives you the depth. All the teams across the world, their lower middle-order has made an impact in the game and we wanted to create that in our team as well. I am glad that it is happening. Speaking is one thing and going out there and doing it is another. So, we are actually doing it. We are happy with that," Sharma said.

Sharma reiterated what has been previously said about this pitch at the Eden Gardens. "It's not a typical Kolkata pitch. They have relaid the surface and there was the occasional uneven bounce. At no point could the batsmen relax. Every ball you played, you had to give more than 100 per cent. Saha and I decided we had to play each ball on its merit and not to think too far ahead. The 100-run partnership between us was crucial to the team. Once we got in, we played our shots as well and to put the pressure back on New Zealand," Sharma said.

"The conditions were not easy. You may see bounce and an odd ball keeping low, like you saw what happened to Virat (LBW). You have to be at it all the time. You can't relax. There is something in the surface throughout the day, not just in the morning or in the evening."

QUOTE

The 100-run partnership between us (Saha and Sharma) was crucial to the team. Once we got in, we played our shots as well and to put the pressure back on New Zealand
--Rohit Sharma, India batsman