Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra reckons Rohit Sharma should discuss his batting approach with head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill ahead of the second ODI against Australia. Chopra said vice-captain Shreyas Iyer should also be included in the discussion.
The renowned commentator highlighted that Rohit adopted an aggressive approach from the get-go when he was the team’s captain. Ahead of the series against Australia, Shubman Gill was given the captaincy baton by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel.
Meanwhile, Rohit looked a bit rusty in the opening game of the series as he could not connect the big shots against the Australian bowlers. The right-hander was dismissed by Josh Hazelwood after scoring only eight runs.
Chopra noted that big hundreds are not made when the risk taken by a batter is higher.
“Very good question. I genuinely feel, and when he was hitting sixes and fours, then also I was feeling, you are selling yourself too short. You are going too hard too soon. When you try to hit so much, hundreds aren’t scored and the average falls,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“You were the captain at that time. You were setting a template for the team and you said you would play like that only. However, does the Indian team have to play like that now? It’s a question, which he should sit with Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir and discuss. Shreyas Iyer should be a part of that meeting, that what is our plan now?” he added.
The renowned commentator urged Rohit to return to scoring big runs in the upcoming matches.
“There is a lot of quality but quantity is also required. I feel Rohit Sharma has to recaliberate. The father of daddy hundreds we used to call him, he has to go back the same way. He will have to do the same job again. He will have to score the same big hundreds,” he said.
“When he helps himself, the Indian team will gain a lot. If you need a Rohit who scores only 40-50, you will get someone else. You need a Rohit who scores 150. Rohit has to score runs and big runs. Now that he has come after getting fit, I have great expectations that he will also put his mind to it, that if he gets set now, he won’t get out while trying to hit a six after scoring 40-odd,” Chopra observed.
The second ODI between India and Australia will be played at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
