India’s Test captain, Rohit Sharma, has endured a dismal series against New Zealand, with his poor form contributing significantly to the team’s 3-0 defeat. Rohit’s aggressive approach on challenging pitches has backfired, leading to six dismissals that have been criticized as “casual.”
However, legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has defended Rohit’s approach, attributing it to his elegant style of play. Gavaskar drew parallels to David Gower, another batsman who faced similar misinterpretations. “People tend to misinterpret his approach because his style is easy on the eye,” Gavaskar said. “They care about their wickets and want to score runs, but their batting looks simple, and their dismissals reflect that.”
Rohit acknowledged his poor shot selection in the series but expressed no regrets over his aggressive approach. “I played a bad shot, but I don’t regret it because it has given me success in the past,” he said. “I will continue to do that.”
Rohit’s struggles have raised questions about his suitability as Test captain. Some critics argue that his attacking style is not suited to the longer format of the game. However, Gavaskar believes that Rohit’s leadership qualities should not be judged solely on his batting performance.
“He is a very good captain,” Gavaskar said. “He has the ability to motivate his team and get the best out of them. He is also a very good tactician. I think he will be a successful Test captain.”
Despite Rohit’s struggles, India’s batting lineup has shown promise in the series. Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara have both scored centuries, while Rishabh Pant has played some impressive innings. The team’s bowling attack has also performed well, with Mohammed Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin taking wickets consistently.
India will be hoping to bounce back from their Test series defeat when they face New Zealand in a three-match ODI series starting on January 18. Rohit will be keen to prove his worth as a Test captain and lead his team to victory.
