By scoring back-to-back hundreds, Rohit Sharma has chosen the perfect way to answer critics who doubted his focus and fitness Scoring back-to-back hundreds in one-dayers is an extremely difficult task and it was great to see Rohit Sharma doing it in India colours against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo yesterday. <table style="width: 214px; height: 42px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="214" align="right" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="" src="/imagedata/2010/may/rohit1234.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td> Rohit Sharma during his unbeaten 101 against Sri Lanka yesterday. PIC/AFP </td></tr></tbody></table>When someone gets a hundred, he's batting for almost 50 overs and also fielding for 50 overs. And to do it twice after just a day's rest is extremely commendable. A lot of questions were raised over Rohit's commitment and focus. It was also said that he was in wrong company and hence cricket was taking a backseat. Eyebrows were raised over his fitness and he seems to have answered the critics in the best way possible with these two hundreds. If you are not fit or determined and focused it's impossible to score successive hundreds. Tons of ability There was never any doubt about Rohit's talent. Time and again he has proved that he has the ability to play at the international level. Even when he was very young, his batting was always impressive. u00a0 I first saw him during a match at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore where he played an excellent innings. I was Mumbai's chief selector then and immediately pushed for his selection in the reserves of the team that was to play Australia in a warm-up game. I have always believed that a player must be given an opportunity to play at a higher level at the right time. If you leave it too late, the batsman might not be able to live up to expectations. But if you push him at the right time, it can change a player completely. His confidence gets a boost and there's every chance he will go on to become a better batsman. Time to Test him The time is right for Rohit to play Test cricket. His utility is not just in ODIs and T20 cricket. He can be a very good Nou00a0 5 Test batsman, but for that to happen, it's important that he gets a chance now when he is still young. This way, his career can take shape perfectly and he can go on to become a better batsman. Having said that, it is important that Rohit shows the desire to up his level. He needs to focus on breaking into the Test squad. In this age, it is very easy for young, impressionable minds to be affected by the lure of money, parties and other forms of entertainment. Rohit needs to focus even harder and keep telling himself that he will get better only if he maintains his focus on cricket. He is fortunate to be sharing a dressing room with Sachin Tendulkar and should look to emulate him. Sachin has been in the spotlight ever since he was 16 but never has his focus wavered. His desire to succeed and the passion for the game is there for all to see and that has kept him grounded and focused towards his job. If Rohit can follow Sachin's work ethics, I have no doubt he will go on to score many more hundreds at all levels.

By scoring back-to-back hundreds, Rohit Sharma has chosen the perfect way to answer critics who doubted his focus and fitness

What a way for Rohit Sharma to prove critics wrong

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What a way for Rohit Sharma to prove critics wrong

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