The former head coach of the Indian side, Ravi Shastri, has offered his vital thoughts behind the struggling captain of the national team, Rohit Sharma, in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. The veteran missed the opening red-ball clash of the series due to the birth of his second child but hasn’t hit the ground running since then.
The excellent opening partnership of 201 runs between KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal pushed the Nagpur-born to be dropped into the lower order of the batting department. He struggled against the moving pink ball in the day-night affair at the Adelaide Oval in the second Test before extending the rough patch in the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.
The Indian captain came into the series on the back of his 91 runs in six innings at an average of 15.15 with just one half-century on his name against New Zealand at home. On the latest episode of the ICC review, Ravi Shastri backed KL Rahul to retain his position as an opener.
“I would have asked him (Rohit) to open in the last Test match, but then the way Rahul has batted, I mean he was a joy to watch, and the way he’s batting, I believe he struck a purple patch. It could be a position he might just want to keep and enhance the way he’s playing because his technique was faultless.” Ravi Shastri expressed in the interaction.
Ravi Shastri encourages Rohit Sharma to embrace an aggressive approach
Rohit Sharma has managed just 427 runs in the longest format down under in 17 innings at an average of 26.68 with a strike rate of around 46 with the help of three half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 63 runs.
Ravi Shastri advised that the Mumbai batter should look to change his approach, and if he could do that, the latter would become really aggressive in the middle order.
“The way he left the ball, the way he allowed the ball to come onto the bat, I mean, some of his cover drives were as good as any played by anyone in world cricket at the moment. And so I think when there’s that much confidence there, you know, let it be. I would like to see Rohit Sharma; his tactics change a bit because he can still be extremely dangerous at that number (six).” Ravi Shastri highlighted.
The 37-year-old hasn’t batted in the middle order in the five-day format since 2018, having established himself in the opening position since then.
The former spin all-rounder of India, Shastri, claimed that the veteran should look to grab the white-ball mindset and go with an aggressive approach like the limited overs cricket in the Test matches.
“I think he’s got to be very clear in his mindset to go out there and take the attack to the opposition and not worry about anything else. The last thing you want is for him to be in two minds, whether to defend or attack. In his case, it should be attacked.” Ravi Shastri shed light.
“He picks up length quickly, he should take the opposition on at that number. Because if he gets away in the first 10-15 minutes, in any way, he’s not got past that 15-20 minutes, half an hour. So why don’t you play a natural game, go and take the attack to the opposition, and take it from there?” The former head coach of the Indian side encouraged.
The renowned commentator reckoned that the best number six batters of the longest format carry the ability to go for the counterattack even when the wickets fall from one end.
“The best No.6s in the world are the guys who know how to have the ability to counter-attack. They read the situation well. Yes, if a lot of wickets have fallen, maybe for a little while. You might have to be circumspect, but the intent has to be far sooner than later.” Ravi Shastri concluded.