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Former India cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri, who is in Australia as part of the commentary panel for the highly-anticipated five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series, shared blunt verdict on skipper Rohit Sharma. The former cricketer who has been vocal of his opinions, once again took the limelight when he spoke of Rohit Sharma’s captaincy in the second BGT Test in Adelaide.
Speaking after the completion of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide on Sunday, December 8, Shastri opined that Rohit was “too subdued” during India’s crushing defeat against Australia. It is to be noted that the hosts completely outplayed India in the day-night Test in Adelaide, registering a commanding 10-wicket win to level the series 1-1.
He was a little too subdued: Ravi Shastri’s blunt take on Rohit Sharma
The 62-year-old feels that if Rohit Sharma returns at the top of the order, he’ll be more expressive and aggressive, which lacked during the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. Speaking on Star Sports after India’s defeat, Shastri said, “That’s the reason I want him at the top. That’s where he can be aggressive and expressive. Just thought he was a little too subdued, just seeing his body language. The fact that he didn’t make runs, I don’t think there was enough on the field there. I just wanted to see him more involved, a little more animated. You still have to believe that you can bounce back in this series. You have seen with these two teams, that the counter-punch is almost immediate. It’s happened over the last 10 years. You lose one, you win the next, but you have to have the belief.”
Adding that India still has a chance to bounce back with three more Tests remaining in the series, Shastri also suggested India to take a few lessons from Australia. He also expressed that KL Rahul should return to the middle order with Rohit Sharma returning in the opening role.
"I like the choice of words by Pat Cummins in Perth. He said we weren't good enough, but we weren't as bad as the scoreboard showed. The reason I say good choice of words is because it wasn't about what people said or what was written about, it was about what the scoreboard showed. I think India can take a leaf out of that. It would mean Rahul would go back to the middle order. But that's what he was going to do if Rohit Sharma had started from the first Test itself," he added.
