The former Indian opening batter, Aakash Chopra, has raised questions over the timid approach of their Test captain, Rohit Sharma, in the home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. He felt that the Nagpur-born was not ultra-aggressive when he was successful in the longest format of the game.
Rohit managed only 91 runs in six innings against the Kiwis with just one solitary half-century at an average of around 15, taking his tally to 212 runs in 21 innings in the current year at an average of below 30 and a strike rate of around 70 with two centuries and two half-centuries.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, the former opener analyzed the Test numbers of the Nagpur-born in the current home season, where he has not looked in good shape and touch, both against the spinners and pacers.
“If you see this home season, Rohit Sharma scored one half-century in 10 innings and had an average of 13. Sometimes, you pay a price for your success if you are compared with your lofty standards. If the average had been 37-38, you might have said that his standard is 55, but 37-38 is not too bad, but we are saying bad because the standard is so high.” Aakash Chopra claimed in the video.
Aakash Chopra displays concerns over Rohit Sharma’s batting against pacers
Going into the Australia series for the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, the pressure will be huge on the captain, who will be eager to make a major contribution on the side in their anticipated third successive series victory in the longest format down under.
“However, an average of 13, from whichever vantage point you might see, these numbers are worrying, and in that, the number of times he got out to fast bowlers, and the way he got out, there is a question mark. This my way or the highway we talk about, Rohit, didn’t use to play like this.” Aakash Chopra was highlighted in the video.
In the opening game, he was undone by the in-swinging delivery of Matt Henry and continued to struggle against the likes of Tim Southee and others in Pune and Mumbai. In the last four Test innings of the series against the Blackcaps, Rohit is the only batter from the Blur Brigade to get out thrice against the pacers.
The former Delhi player noted that Rohit was willing to trust his defense in the past and leave deliveries at the start of his career, something which is irregular in his batting these days.
“Rohit Sharma’s new chapter of Test cricket had started because he started loving his defense. He had started liking leaving deliveries. Spending time became a thing for Rohit, but now it seems like he won’t do that at all. This started with the ODI World Cup. There also the question of whether you were selling yourself short if you were scoring 45 or 55 when you could score 150.” Aakash Chopra shed light.
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One of the impressive parts of his batting in the last ODI World Cup 2023 in India was how he used to play those vital cameos at the opening position, but the Uttar Pradesh-born reckoned those won’t be working in the five-day format of the game.
“It’s okay, it was white-ball cricket, others score. It is fine in T20 cricket as others will score once you set the tempo. But, not in Test cricket. You played well against England, you scored 400 runs, which was a decent turnover. That happened because he wasn’t hitting every ball.” Aakash Chopra concluded.
Rohit will be eager to get better against the pacers before the opening Test of the Australia trip, which starts on November 22 in Perth.