Batting great Sunil Gavaskar suggested that the long boundaries in Australia are the reason why Rohit Sharma is facing trouble with his pull shots. The Indian captain has not been at his best in the ongoing T20 World Cup as he has scored just one half-century so far. After taking over the captaincy charge last year, Rohit embraced a fearless approach with the bat early in the powerplay and set the base for the rest of the batters to propel the side to a big total. However, things have not worked according to the play for him.
The swashbuckling opener is struggling to get going in the powerplay overs which forced him to play rash shots which eventually cost him his wicket. Team India has qualified for the semifinals, but Rohit’s form will be a cause of worry, making 89 runs in just five matches at an average of 17.
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In the tournament, Rohit has been caught between being tentative and go for the big shots or attack right from the start of the innings. While the pull is now his trademark shot, it has also led to his downfall, something which legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar pointed out.
“What’s been happening is, he himself, as the captain of the team, has set this template in the first six overs to go bang, bang, and bang. Suddenly, he can’t be seen looking to work the ball around. He is always a good puller of the ball. But on Australian boundaries, that pull shot has got him into trouble.
“We saw that two years ago as well, he got out twice by playing the pull shot after having scored 40-50 runs (in Tests). That’s got him into trouble again. In a T20 format with just one fielder in the first six overs, he has got to be mindful of the fielder and play the pull shot. It’s a productive shot for him, let’s not forget that,” said Gavaskar on India Today.
The batting great suggested that India need Rohit to find his groove back in the semifinal as he can’t afford to experiment too much in the clash against England at Adelaide Oval.
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“Well, let’s just hope he is saving the runs for the next two matches. They are going to be the biggest matches. In a group game, you know there’s another game to follow, so you maybe sometimes try a little too much and get out.
“Now, these are knockout games. In a knockout game, you can’t afford to experiment too much. You need to be at your best. Let’s hope that Rohit comes good,” he added.
India finished the Super 12 stage as the table-toppers in Group 2 and they are now tagged as the favourites to clinch the title.
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