India's captain Rohit Sharma it can be said that he is going through one of the toughest phases in his cricket career. After experiencing the highs of the T20 World Cup 2024, Rohit has struggled to score in Test cricket.
He had a disappointing home Test season and his poor form continued in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. At this stage of his career, the pressure is mounting on the Indian captain to deliver. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri expressed his opinion on Rohit's poor form while praising KL Rahul's great run.
Shastri feels Rohit Sharma needs to be clear in his approach and must show intent to put the pressure back on Australia. The former India man believes this is the only way Rohit can survive in Test cricket.
Read also: IPL 2025: Sanju Samson turns RR skipper Rohit Sharma willing to selflessly quit…
“Hit a purple patch” – Ravi Shastri on KL Rahul
While speaking on The ICC Review with host Sanjana Ganesan, Ravi Shastri hailed KL Rahul's performances in this series. Calling his technique “flawless”, Shastri was impressed with the way Rahul left the ball and impressed with his confidence.
“I would have asked him (Rohit Sharma) to open in the last Test match but the way he (KL) batted, I mean he was a joy to watch and the way he bats, I think he hit a purple patch. It might be a position he might just want to keep and improve the way he plays because his technique has been impeccable,” remarked Shastri.
“The way he left the ball, the way he let the ball come on the bat, I mean some of his cover drives were as good as anybody's playing in world cricket at the moment. And so I think when there's that much trust there, you know, let it be,” he added.
KL Rahul top scored for India in the last Test at the Gabba with a fine 84 off 139 deliveries. He seemed the surest of all the Indian thugs. Rahul is also India's highest run-scorer in the first three Tests of the series with 235 runs at an average of 47.
Ravi Shastri backs Rohit Sharma to bat aggressively
Ravi Shastri then spoke about Rohit Sharma's chances of making an impact in the remaining two Tests of the series. Shastri wants Rohit to be clear in his approach and play with an attacking mindset.
“I would like to see Rohit Sharma, his tactics change a bit because he can still be extremely dangerous at that number (six). I think he's got to be very clear in his mindset to go out there and take the offense to the opposition and not worry about anything else.”
“The last thing you want is for him to be in two minds about whether to defend or attack. In his case, it should be an attack. He picks up the length quickly, he should take on the opposition at that number,” he explained.
“Because if he escapes in the first 10-15 minutes, somehow, he hasn't gone past those 15-20 minutes, half an hour. So why don't you play natural, go and attack. opposition and take it from there?” he argued.
Ravi Shastri wants Rohit Sharma to counter-attack
The former India all-rounder believes Rohit Sharma needs to play a counter-attacking role with the bat and must show intent instead of hanging on. He backed the Indian skipper to play his shots on Australian pitches.
“The best number 6s in the world are the guys who know how to have the ability to counter-attack. They read the situation well. Yes, if many wickets fell, maybe for a little while,” said Shastri.
“You might have to be circumspect, but the intention has to be much sooner rather than later. Especially when you have that kind of ability and especially when you open the batting for India and have all the shots for the Australian conditions,” he added.
Rohit Sharma missed the opening Test of the series due to the birth of his second child, but played the second and third Tests of the series. He has scored 19 runs in two Tests so far at an average of 6.33.
With Ravichandran Ashwin already retired, the pressure is on Rohit to prove his worth in test cricket. Being a senior player of the team, he will aim to contribute to the team's cause.