Rohit Sharma’s struggles in Test cricket have continued, with the Indian skipper failing to impress in the recent 0-3 series defeat against New Zealand. Sharma’s poor form has raised concerns, with former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar identifying a “real problem” in his batting technique.
Manjrekar believes that Sharma is attempting to clear the boundary with brute force rather than making proper connections. “He is missing a few of his big hits,” Manjrekar said. “He is mis-hitting a lot of his attacking shots and he is not trusting his defense enough.”
Sharma’s statistics in the Test series against New Zealand were disappointing, with the opener scoring just 91 runs at a strike rate of 68.42. His dismissal in the second innings, where he attempted to hit a boundary rather than make a solid connection, highlighted his technical issues.
The series loss against New Zealand marked a low point for Sharma’s captaincy, as he became the first Indian captain to concede a 3-0 Test series defeat on home soil. New Zealand’s victory was historic, as they became the first team to win a long format series by 0-3 in India.
Despite leading Team India to 12 victories in 21 Test matches, Sharma’s recent performances have raised questions about his suitability as captain. His inability to score runs consistently in red-ball cricket has been a major concern, and Manjrekar’s analysis suggests that technical flaws may be contributing to his struggles.
If Sharma is to regain his form and lead India to success in Test cricket, he will need to address the issues identified by Manjrekar. He must rediscover his defensive technique and focus on making solid connections rather than attempting to hit every ball for a boundary.
