It’s well documented that Virat Kohli‘s weakness is playing balls outside off stump in Test cricket. But the reason why it’s his kryptonite is because it’s also his strength. He scores a big chunk on his runs from regions, going for his shots that many others won’t. It’s the same as Ricky Ponting getting out while trying to play the short ball and getting out in the process; there is always risk involved, but rewards are aplenty as well.
Kohli might be short on runs, but getting caught behind the stumps isn’t exactly new for him. In his prime, 2012-19, he was able to score a lot more while often getting dismissed the same way. He hasn’t been able to change that, and that’s definitely a cause for concern, but you can understand what’s the issue and exactly why he’s getting out in the same manner.
Rohit Sharma’s dismissals in BGT
But he’s not the only senior Indian batter who’s struggling to get runs in the ongoing India vs Australia Test series. There is another one who’s actually having an even worse time, and that’s captain Rohit Sharma. His patch is so lean that Akash Deep, Nathan Lyon, and Mitchell Starc have scored more runs than him, and that too at a better average.
Unlike Kohli, Rohit’s dismissals don’t have a pattern. In his Adelaide/Pink Ball Test, he was beaten on the inside edge to be adjudged Leg Before Wicket (LBW) in the first innings and then beaten on the outside of the bat to be clean bowled by a brilliant delivery by Pat Cummins. He was rooted to the crease; his head wasn’t outside the line either. In the Brisbane Test, he goes to drive a full ball on the 5th stump and edges it behind. These three dismissals were at number six.
When he opened at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), he got out to a short ball that was way outside off, and he looked to guide it towards square leg in the first outing. The second time around, he looked much more assured but edged one to gully while trying to flick a ball from off stump. This doesn’t seem like a pattern, but there is one.
No weakness; age is catching up with Rohit Sharma
The pattern is that Rohit Sharma is getting old. Age has caught up with the batter, who never really looked troubled with pace or bounce. His technique was always solid, but it was temperament that was the issue when he was younger. The youth’s gone now. What we are seeing is a late-career decline. Reflexes are getting slow; he perhaps isn’t picking the ball as quickly as he used to. What the exact issue is, only he’ll be able to tell, but something isn’t right.
There is no doubt that Rohit’s going through a slump. But it’s not just that. Former India opener Aakash Chopra also reiterated the same. “We talk about Virat Kohli’s pattern (of getting out), but there is a pattern with Rohit Sharma as well. He’s getting late on the ball, and his feet aren’t moving that well. He’s at that stage in his career; the knives are out due to his age,” he said on his YouTube channel on December 31.
Getting late on the ball isn’t what you equate with Rohit Sharma. He’s the guy who never had difficulty facing a short, menacing ball in South Africa or Australia. Pace was never the issue. Yet it seems like it’s now. It’s not like he’s just facing issues in Australia. When he played against Bangladesh and New Zealand at home, six of his ten dismissals were against pace. There is no weakness per se, but Rohit’s age is catching up with him.
Retirement calling Rohit Sharma?
Now, it’s up to the selectors and him to decide what’s the next step. If he and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) think it’s just a slump and he’ll be back on his feet for the India tour of England in June or the World Test Championship (if Team India qualified), he might continue, but right now it seems Sydney might be the last time he dons the Test captain’s hat and white jersey for India.
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