<p>By the time, Rohit Sharma finished enthralling us with his world record 264 on Thursday, the Twitter world had gone abuzz with messages from around the world.<br /><br />His teammates, friends from Mumbai, former cricketers and fans were jostling to leave their congratulatory line in his Twitter account -- @IamRo45.<br /><br /> But as it happens in the social media, contrarian views too were there, challenging Rohit to emulate the feat in Australia.<br /><br />Of course, the general Australian proclivity to taunt the opposition players might have played a large part in them, but Rohit’s last three trips outside India offer interesting read. <br /><br />In the months between December 2013 and August 2014, Rohit visited South Africa, New Zealand and England with varying degree of success.<br /><br />Rohit embarked on those tours on the back of his first one-day international double hundred (209) against Australia at Bengaluru in last November. <br /><br />Naturally, the expectations were sky high. But as he has done several times in the past, Rohit failed to meet the expectations during those trips, showing a frustrating streak of inconsistency.<br /><br />South Africa was an unmitigated disaster. He failed to cross fifty even once in two Tests and three one-dayers.<br /><br /> The third one-dayer at Centurion captured his struggles in bright hues. Dale Steyn tormented Rohit outside the off-stump so much that the Mumbaikar was beaten 15 balls in a row in that channel.<br /><br />From three one-dayers, Rohit made 37 runs at 18.50, and from two Tests he collected 45 runs at 11.25, as he was brought down from the pedestal with a loud thud. <br /><br />Rohit fared slightly better in New Zealand. Five one-dayers fetched him 145 runs at 29 with one fifty, while he scored 122 runs from two Tests with a fifty at 40.66.<br /><br />England was again a downer. He played just one Test at Southampton but a rash shot off Moeen Ali just before tea led to his dismissal. <br /><br />More significantly, his dismissal allowed England bowlers to have crack at Indian tail early, and eventually the home side emerged comfortable winner, a result that turned the course of the rest of the series. </p>.<p>Rohit never got a look in after that in the Tests.<br /><br />He played only one match in the one-day series before going out of the tour with a fractured finger after the Cardiff tie. </p>.<p>However, he got a fifty in that match that India won effortlessly.<br /><br />The next couple of months were intense hard work and rehabilitation for Rohit, tending to his fractured finger and injured shoulder.<br /><br /> It meant that Rohit missed the Champions League campaign with the Mumbai Indians and the series against West Indies, which was eventually called off midway.<br /><br />The right-hander also didn’t feature in the first three one-dayers in the series against Sri Lanka, the selectors allowing him extra few days to reach better fitness levels. <br /><br />Rohit showed his readiness for top-flight cricket with a blistering hundred in a warm-up game against the Lankans.<br /><br />He bettered that effort in the historic Eden Gardens in stunning fashion. <br /><br />Now, Rohit will leave for Australia in a week’s time for a trip that includes four Tests, a triangular series and the World Cup.<br /><br />It will be a massive test for Rohit’s skills and character. Australia are certain to roll out pitches with bounce to suit Mitchell Johnson & Co, and the first Test is at Brisbane, a venue known as the fort of the Aussies. <br /><br />Along with the cricketing factors, Rohit also would have to banish the thoughts about not having a definitive away tour thus far in his career.<br /><br />He admitted it. “You have to accept the failures and successes and keep moving on. That’s what I have done. I kept moving on. A couple of overseas failures will not stop my cricket. The hard work that I have put in will be on track for me always,” said Rohit.<br /><br />Stand-in skipper Virat Kohli said a few days back that Rohit brings that X-factor to this Indian team. <br /><br />Team director Ravi Shastri has marked him out to come good soon in all conditions.<br /><br />So, Rohit has the backing of the team’s think tank.<br /><br /> Now, will he deliver in an important phase of Indian cricket or continue to exasperate us with those fleeting shows of his immense talent?</p>
<p>By the time, Rohit Sharma finished enthralling us with his world record 264 on Thursday, the Twitter world had gone abuzz with messages from around the world.<br /><br />His teammates, friends from Mumbai, former cricketers and fans were jostling to leave their congratulatory line in his Twitter account -- @IamRo45.<br /><br /> But as it happens in the social media, contrarian views too were there, challenging Rohit to emulate the feat in Australia.<br /><br />Of course, the general Australian proclivity to taunt the opposition players might have played a large part in them, but Rohit’s last three trips outside India offer interesting read. <br /><br />In the months between December 2013 and August 2014, Rohit visited South Africa, New Zealand and England with varying degree of success.<br /><br />Rohit embarked on those tours on the back of his first one-day international double hundred (209) against Australia at Bengaluru in last November. <br /><br />Naturally, the expectations were sky high. But as he has done several times in the past, Rohit failed to meet the expectations during those trips, showing a frustrating streak of inconsistency.<br /><br />South Africa was an unmitigated disaster. He failed to cross fifty even once in two Tests and three one-dayers.<br /><br /> The third one-dayer at Centurion captured his struggles in bright hues. Dale Steyn tormented Rohit outside the off-stump so much that the Mumbaikar was beaten 15 balls in a row in that channel.<br /><br />From three one-dayers, Rohit made 37 runs at 18.50, and from two Tests he collected 45 runs at 11.25, as he was brought down from the pedestal with a loud thud. <br /><br />Rohit fared slightly better in New Zealand. Five one-dayers fetched him 145 runs at 29 with one fifty, while he scored 122 runs from two Tests with a fifty at 40.66.<br /><br />England was again a downer. He played just one Test at Southampton but a rash shot off Moeen Ali just before tea led to his dismissal. <br /><br />More significantly, his dismissal allowed England bowlers to have crack at Indian tail early, and eventually the home side emerged comfortable winner, a result that turned the course of the rest of the series. </p>.<p>Rohit never got a look in after that in the Tests.<br /><br />He played only one match in the one-day series before going out of the tour with a fractured finger after the Cardiff tie. </p>.<p>However, he got a fifty in that match that India won effortlessly.<br /><br />The next couple of months were intense hard work and rehabilitation for Rohit, tending to his fractured finger and injured shoulder.<br /><br /> It meant that Rohit missed the Champions League campaign with the Mumbai Indians and the series against West Indies, which was eventually called off midway.<br /><br />The right-hander also didn’t feature in the first three one-dayers in the series against Sri Lanka, the selectors allowing him extra few days to reach better fitness levels. <br /><br />Rohit showed his readiness for top-flight cricket with a blistering hundred in a warm-up game against the Lankans.<br /><br />He bettered that effort in the historic Eden Gardens in stunning fashion. <br /><br />Now, Rohit will leave for Australia in a week’s time for a trip that includes four Tests, a triangular series and the World Cup.<br /><br />It will be a massive test for Rohit’s skills and character. Australia are certain to roll out pitches with bounce to suit Mitchell Johnson & Co, and the first Test is at Brisbane, a venue known as the fort of the Aussies. <br /><br />Along with the cricketing factors, Rohit also would have to banish the thoughts about not having a definitive away tour thus far in his career.<br /><br />He admitted it. “You have to accept the failures and successes and keep moving on. That’s what I have done. I kept moving on. A couple of overseas failures will not stop my cricket. The hard work that I have put in will be on track for me always,” said Rohit.<br /><br />Stand-in skipper Virat Kohli said a few days back that Rohit brings that X-factor to this Indian team. <br /><br />Team director Ravi Shastri has marked him out to come good soon in all conditions.<br /><br />So, Rohit has the backing of the team’s think tank.<br /><br /> Now, will he deliver in an important phase of Indian cricket or continue to exasperate us with those fleeting shows of his immense talent?</p>