'Rohit Sharma no longer relies on his defense': Sanjay Manjrekar
Former Indian cricketer, Sanjay Manjrekar, has pinpointed a flaw in batter Rohit Sharma's batting technique. The observation comes as Rohit has been struggling in Test cricket lately, especially during India's 0-3 series defeat to New Zealand at home. Manjrekar observed that the Indian skipper appears to have lost faith in his defense, forcing him to take an overly aggressive approach at the crease.
Manjrekar analyzes Rohit's approach in recent matches
Manjrekar, analyzing Rohit's strategy on ESPNCricinfo, said the Indian skipper isn't reckless but has his "own way of scoring runs." He noted Rohit appears to have lost faith in his defensive game, which forces him to attack the bowling aggressively. This was apparent during a recent LBW appeal which seemed to rattle him further.
Mis-hits and defensive doubts, points Manjrekar
Further, Manjrekar noted that Rohit's tendency to mis-hit big shots has contributed to his recent poor performances. He said, "He is missing a few of his big hits...so he is mis-hitting a lot of his attacking shots and he is not trusting his defense enough. So that is a real problem for Rohit Sharma currently."
Disappointing run in home Test season
In the current home Test season, Rohit has amassed 133 runs from 10 innings at an average of 13.30. The tally includes a solitary half-century. The Indian skipper scored 2, 52, 0, 8, 18, and 11 in the recently-concluded New Zealand Test series. His form is a concern as India gear up for the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under.
Karthik echoes Manjrekar's observations
Former Indian wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik also echoed Manjrekar's observations about Rohit's technique on a Cricbuzz show. He suggested Rohit's reliance on aggressive play instead of trusting his technique has contributed to his struggles. "Yes, attack is an option. But that will only come better if you trust your technique," Karthik said, highlighting the risks associated with such an approach.
