The former leg-spinner of Australia, Kerry O’Keefe, has teased the captain of India, Rohit Sharma, with his traumatic record in Tests in the last five games after his spot comes under scrutiny on the back of their 10-wicket defeat at the Adelaide Oval in the second game as the five-match series of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 is now labeled at 1-1.
The regular Test leader of India, Rohit, pushed him down to number six for the respective fixture as the management retained the successful opening stand of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal. The 37-year-old could manage scores of six off 15 balls and three of 23 deliveries in the two innings in Australia.
Rohit missed the opening Test match in Perth and was forced to settle at number six after the opening combo of the respective game put on 201 runs in the second innings of the game. The Mumbai batter didn’t find the form and rhythm in either of the innings as India now finds themselves in a stiff position of arranging their batting order.
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Rahul looked settled as the opener, but Rohit fumbled in the middle-order. He was trapped before the stumps in the first innings by Scott Boland, while Pat Cummins squared him up in the second innings to disturb the stumps of the batter.
Kerry O’Keefe wants India to go for plan B in the Brisbane Test
The former spinner for Australia, Kerry O’Keefe, has highlighted that the double failure of Adelaide for the captain of India, along with the shuffle in the batting order, besides the lack of runs in the previous few games, could make huge issues for the management. He also reminds us that the veteran has an average of 13 in the last five Tests, with just one fifty on his name.
“I think they will pick and stick, India (although) I think consideration has to be given to changing the team. But they won’t. “It’s a tough gig to come here at 37 years of age. Rohit has averaged 13 in his last five Test matches (and has) a double failure in Adelaide.” O’Keefe expressed his view on Fox Sports.
“You could count on one hand the number of 37-year-old-plusses who have come to Australia and had a significant effect on the series. I think Younis Khan of Pakistan is one. Jacques Kallis of South Africa is another. Both averaged over 50.” The former spinner from New South Wales addressed.
It has not been a sound year for Rohit, who came into the series collecting just 91 runs in six innings for India against New Zealand at home, while he has collected only 597 runs in 23 innings in the ongoing year 2024 at an average of 27.14 and a strike rate of more than 65, with two centuries and two fifties.
Kerry questioned if the Indian side, coached by Gautam Gambhir, could look to go for plan B by bringing back Rohit at the top and going after the relentless and experienced pace attack of Australia, consisting of Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Mitchel Starc.
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“Can Rohit Sharma do that in the remaining few tests? That question has to be asked. He is the skipper. I think he will stay, but I think consideration must be given to game plan B. This Australian pace attack is relentless. They are not going anywhere. Is Rohit Sharma?” The 75-year-old wondered.
The defeat for India has also shaken their qualification possibilities for the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final, as they have dropped at number three.