Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s batting approach and technique has come under immense scrutiny after India’s 0-3 series whitewash against New Zealand. The 37-year-old has only managed to score a total of 133 runs in his last 10 Test innings, leading several experts to break down his decline in form.
Rohit’s former teammate Dinesh Karthik believes that he needs to get out of his comfort zone and hold back playing big shots in Test cricket.
With India chasing the target of 147 in the final innings of the 3rd Test, Rohit lost his wicket to Kiwi pacer Matt Henry while trying to play his signature pull shot. Karthik stated that while Rohit’s aggressive batting approach has got him great results in white ball cricket, he may need to change his approach in red-ball cricket.
“In Test cricket, what I feel is that intent is getting him into a safe space where he feels he can use that when in trouble. It’s not a method where he’s using it like he’s using it in white ball cricket, one that the Indian team needed. Here, when he is put under a little bit of pressure, an immediate instinct is to play an attacking shot fraught with risk. Now, with that comes the ability to get out as well,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.
The former Indian cricketer also suggested that Rohit should opt for a more balanced technique where he doesn’t lunge out to play attacking shots.
“The one thing that Rohit Sharma is not doing, which he did very well when he took up his role as an opener, is trusting his technique. He went to England, he left a lot of balls. He decided that he can play shots. But what he’d do is, anything outside the off-stump, he would let it go. ‘I am going to have the mental strength to bat long.’ He got a 100. He got a 90. I think that’s where he needs to go back to. To trust his ability to defend and see through tough phases,” Karthik said.
