Kolkata: Middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma,who top-scored in the second innings, on Sunday said the relaid Eden Gardens wicket kept the Indian batsmen on their toes right throughout the match and the willow-wielders could not afford to "relax" even for a moment.
Rohit made a fine 82 off 132 balls with the help of nine boundaries and two hits over the fence to guide India to a healthy 339-run lead over New Zealand at the end of the third day of the second Test here.
"You may have seen this in the last two days. They have relaid the wicket. It's not a typical Kolkata wicket what it used to be. There's uneven bounce. At no point batsman could relax or take it for granted. Every ball you played, you had to make sure that you gave 100 per cent," Rohit told reporters at the post day's press conference.
"Condition was never easy. Once the ball get softer, there's not much for the bowlers. If you put the ball in the right areas you will get odd bounce. There's something in the surface throughout the day, not just in the morning, afternoon or evening. You just could not relax," he added.
The flamboyant Mumbai batsman has often been criticised for not being able to make it big in Test cricket despite possessing serious talent.
But Rohit, somewhat, answered back his detractors in this series hitting his second successive half-century.
"There is no pressure. It only comes from the media that I'm under pressure. You may have seen that on the field. Did I look under pressure in the first or this Test?" he shot back.
Having bundled out New Zealand for 204 in their first innings, India were in a spot of bother in their second essay at 43 for four when Rohit made his entry in the middle.
He first shared 48 runs with Virat Kohli (45) for the fifth wicket before stitching 103-run seventh-wicket partnership with Wriddhiman Saha (39 batting) to take India to 227 for eight at close.
