Why the series matters for Rohit and Cummins beyond the results

FOR THE PAST few days, Rohit Sharma and his men have been walking to the stadium from their hotel across a bridge over the river Torrents.

- SRIRAM VEERA

It is a simple pleasure that they can't indulge in India. Even here, if anyone stops them for a selfie, it's the Indian-origin fan. They cross the road, walk past the statue of Clem Hill, a legendary cricketer from these parts, at the stadium entrance and breeze through the sliding glass doors into the arena. Thursday was a particularly burning day in Adelaide, temperatures hovering around 38-40 degrees, so hot that the Aussies wrapped up their optional net session within 20 minutes and fled.

A couple of weeks ago, in India, before the birth of his second child, Rohit was moping around alone in the dressing room at the Wankhede Stadium. His teammates had left; the Kiwis were celebrating politely in the room next door, and Rohit sat ruminating. Suddenly, things stir and change dramatically. He becomes a father again, and even as he is holding the baby in my hands, his team is thumping the Aussies. On his flight to Perth, he asks for an internet connection to check the match scores. By the time he lands, Virat Kohli is blasting the ball to all around the park. Sometimes, a week can be really long and action-packed.