The pressure on the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma will be quite high when India will face Australia in the third test match as it is not just his batting but his captaincy is also under scrutiny.
Rohit Sharma has had a forgettable start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as India lost the second test match by 10 wickets and he also failed to perform with the bat. Sacrificing his opener’s spot for KL Rahul, Rohit managed scores of just 3 and 6 while batting at No. 6. Adding to his woes, India’s crushing defeat in the Adelaide pink-ball Test, completed in just over two days, has further intensified criticism of Rohit’s form and leadership.
Under Rohit’s captaincy, India has lost their last four Test matches, effectively ruling them out of contention for the ICC World Test Championship final. Despite India’s struggles, one potential fix—restoring Rohit to his preferred opener role—has met skepticism. Concerns have been raised about his “limited footwork” and “slowing reflexes”, which could leave him vulnerable against the new red ball in challenging conditions.
Rohit last scored a Test century in February and has since struggled to produce significant performances. His dismissals, often bowled or squared up, have amplified doubts about his current batting abilities. While the captain has shown flashes of brilliance in shorter formats, like IPL matches where he thrives against less potent bowling attacks, his form in Test cricket has been far less convincing.
A batting coach, speaking anonymously highlighted Rohit’s long-standing challenges with footwork; he said that Rohit Sharma had limited footwork even when he was in his prime. The coach further added that at the age of 37 and a half, Rohit Sharma’s reflexes have also slowed down because of which he is picking the length a little late. He further said that still the same Rohit Sharma may look completely different in the IPL and can score a quick 70 in 35 balls against less lethal bowling attack but test cricket is far more difficult and demanding.
With India gearing up for the Gabba Test, the challenges for Rohit and the team are far from over. Returning to the top of the order might expose him further against the new ball but continuing in the middle order hasn’t yielded results either. As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy progresses, India must address these issues quickly to salvage some pride and momentum in the series.
