Dinesh Karthik concerned about Rohit Sharma's shot selection, not form
Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has defended Rohit Sharma's performance in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand. Despite a disappointing run with just one half-century to his credit in this series, Karthik insists Sharma is not out of form. He attributes the captain's underperformance to poor shot selection rather than a lack of skill or technique.
Analysis of Sharma's performance
Karthik's comments came after Sharma was dismissed for a mere 18 runs in the first innings of the Mumbai Test match. Speaking on Cricbuzz, the former cricketer argued an out-of-form player wouldn't be able to execute the kind of shots Sharma has been playing during his brief spells at the crease. This suggests it's not a matter of form but rather decision-making in shot selection that's affecting his performance.
Karthik highlights Sharma's strengths and weaknesses
Further emphasizing Sharma's strengths, Karthik said, "Backfoot punch off a good ball, a slight error in length and he is hitting a cover drive. So he is getting into good positions." However, he also highlighted an area of concern in Sharma's game - his tendency to close the face on balls pitched on the fourth stump. This technical issue has been flagged as a potential reason for his recent dismissals.
Kumble and Doull express concerns over Sharma's technique
Another former Indian cricketer, Anil Kumble, also spotted a technical flaw in Sharma's batting. He observed that balls holding their line from a particular angle have always troubled the skipper. Simon Doull pointed out that Sharma's average against right-arm pace bowlers in 2024 was just 24, further emphasizing his struggles in this Test series.
