• Rohit Sharma has picked the toughest bowler to face between Mitchell Starc and Shaheen Afridi.

  • Starc and Afridi possess the uncanny ability to swing the ball both ways, leaving batters bewildered.

Mitchell Starc or Shaheen Afridi? Indian skipper Rohit Sharma names the toughest bowler to face
Mitchell Starc, Rohit Sharma, Shaheen Afridi (Image Source: Twitter)

Cricket, often referred to as a gentleman’s game, has witnessed the rise of countless legends over the years. Among these luminaries are the left-arm fast bowlers, who possess the uncanny ability to swing the cricket ball both ways, leaving batters bewildered and fans in awe. Two such standout names in modern-day cricket are Australian pacer Mitchell Starc and Pakistan speedster Shaheen Afridi.

Starc’s searing pace, combined with his ability to extract late swing, keeps batters perpetually on edge, making shot selection an intricate gamble. His unplayable yorkers and array of variations amplify the challenge, while his penchant for thriving under pressure adds to the mental strain. Meanwhile, Afridi’s deceptive swing with the new ball, coupled with his disconcerting bounce and ever-changing lengths, forces batters into a constant state of adjustment.

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Rohit Sharma reveals his choice

There is no denial that facing both these pacers is a difficult task for any batter and India captain Rohit Sharma, who is considered to be a modern-day legend, was recently quizzed about the exact scenario. In an interactive session with the ICC ahead of the ODI World Cup, Rohit deftly and wittily tackled a series of ‘demanding’ queries, showcasing his sharp wit and humorous disposition.

Rohit Sharma was posed with the question of which of the two, Starc or Afridi, he would find more challenging to confront. The Mumbai cricketer expressed his inclination towards facing fast bowlers as opposed to spinners and conveyed, “None, both are quality, quite threatening with the new ball, can swing the ball, quite fast. So I would say none.”

Here is the video:

Notably, Rohit boasts an exceptional track record, particularly in the white-ball cricket. He stands as the sole batter to have secured three double-centuries in ODIs and carries an impressive tally of four centuries in T20Is. Having notched an impressive tally of five centuries during the 2019 World Cup, enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating a replication of his mesmerizing performance in the forthcoming edition, set to kick off in India on October 5th.

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