Battle in Team India, Rohit Sharma versus Virat Kohli

Dhaka: India launched their Asia Cup campaign in style thrashing hosts Bangladesh by 45 runs to bag two points in the tournament opener. A lot of credit has to be attributed to Rohit Sharma’s 55-ball 83 run knock that enabled the visitors surge to 166 runs at the end of 20 overs after suffering a middle-order collapse.

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Rohit’s match-winning performance saw the Mumbai star bag the Man of the Match award at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday much to the sadness of the partisan home fans.

There’s an interesting battle brewing in the Indian dressing room as far as run-scoring is concerned. 28-year-old Rohit is now posing stiff competition to Test skipper Virat Kohli, who was unable to adjust to the green top in the opening match scoring just 7 runs.

The Mumbai Indians skipper’s 83 went down history books becoming the highest by an Indian batsman versus Bangladesh in T20Is, eclipsing the 57 not out off 50 balls by Kohli at Dhaka on March 28, 2014.

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Rohit and Kohli have registered 9 fifties in a winning cause for India in T20Is. Only Brendon McCullum (12) has posted more fifties in a winning cause in T20Is.

Statistics say Rohit contributed 50 per cent to India's total on Wednesday - the fifth-highest in a completed innings for India in a T20I. Kohli, on the other hand has a slight edge over the Mumbai cricketer.

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During the 2014 World T20 final between India and Sri Lanka which the Islanders won by six wickets, Kohli’s 77 runs registered 59.23 per cent of the team’s contribution, which is the highest.

Rohit, who slowly is mastering the art of stroke play in the shortest format of the game has seen him score 11 T20I fifties while Kohli sits on top of the list in his team with 12. Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina occupy the third, fourth and fifth spot with eight, seven and four half-centuries respectively.

However, if you compare Kohli and Rohit’s T20I batting averages, the Delhi-born cricketer enjoys a comfortable 48.88 while Rohit will look to improve his 34.81 in the following matches.

Both Kohli and Rohit’s performance will prove vital for Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Team India. With just a day left for the mouth-watering India versus Pakistan clash, Kohli who has been in sublime form will look to rectify his opening score while Rohit will be in search for another half-century to top the list.

As former India captain Sunil Gavaskar rightly said, “Rohit kills you with tickle and Kohli can punch you to death. Either way you are going to die.”