New Delhi, Dec 23
As the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) approaches, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has cautioned under fire skipper Rohit Sharma to reconsider his aggressive batting style against Australia’s formidable bowling attack.
Sharma, who has been struggling for consistency in Test cricket this year, needs to recalibrate his approach to make a meaningful contribution to India’s campaign in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, currently tied at 1-1.
Rohit’s form in Test cricket has been underwhelming in 2024. From 13 matches, he averages a modest 26.39, a sharp decline from his usually reliable standards. He missed the first Test of the series due to the birth of his second child but returned for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, only to score a meagre nine runs across two innings. In Brisbane’s rain-affected third Test, he batted at No. 6 and managed just 10 runs in his sole outing.
"He has got that big game. In South Africa, he had that one innings where it was a small target and they went after the bowling, and Rohit Sharma looked really good. But in a Test match in Australia with the kind of bowlers he is contended with, all bowling superbly, it is not easy to take those guys on because his shots are really high-risk shots. He tried that in the home series against New Zealand as well, just to put the bowlers off but got out playing the attacking shot," Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.