India captain Rohit Sharma has faced growing calls to return to domestic cricket to rediscover his red-ball form after a disappointing series against Australia.
After India's 1-3 defeat in the Border Trophy-Gavaskarformer cricketers and fans have expressed concerns about Rohit's commitment to Test cricket. Among them is former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar, who has suggested that Rohit should demonstrate his hunger for the longest format by participating in domestic tournaments like the Ranji Trophy.
Bangar's message to Rohit
Bangar, speaking on Star Sports, emphasized the importance of leading by example. He emphasized that even experienced players like it Cheteshwar Pujara AND Ajinkya Rahane have returned to the inner circle to prove their worth.
“When you are 37, every failure hurts because a cricketer is a very proud person. When he sees the kind of performances he has had in the past but can't replicate them, and when the young players are performing well, those factors weigh heavily on his mind,” Bangar said.
“He has to determine if he still has the hunger to play Test cricket. If he does, that hunger should reflect in his actions.”
Pujara and Rahane provide an example
Bangar drew comparisons between Rohit and senior players Pujara and Rahane, who quit the national side but showed their commitment by grinding it out in domestic cricket.
“There has been a lot of talk about playing domestic cricket. Players like Pujara and Rahane, who are equal to Rohit Sharma in stature, have fallen in the past but have shown their hunger to play in domestic cricket. Even today, they are sweating it out on a domestic basis, which is a huge drop from the intensity of international cricket,” Bangar explained.
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“If Rohit follows through and performs in domestic cricket, no one can stop him. But that form and hunger should be evident,” he added.
The coach of the Indian team was of the same opinion.
The team's management is criticized for being reactive
Bangar did not stop at Rohit. He also criticized the Indian team management for their reactive approach to team selection during the series. He pointed out that Nitish Reddy's surprise performance put the selectors in a quandary.
“The combination of Nitish Reddy with Washington Sundar OR Ravindra Jadeja created confusion. When there is a player in form, it is difficult to remove him. The team management seemed reactive as the series progressed instead of being proactive,” Bangar noted.
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