Rohit Sharma let his ego get the higher of him

At the post-day press convention, Rohit Sharma was defiant. Nobody immediately requested him concerning the shot that caused his downfall within the series-deciding fourth Test on Saturday, however the Indian crew’s vice-captain picked up the trace and backed his shot choice. “It was unfortunate and a very sad dismissal to be honest in the end, but those are my shots and I will keep playing them.”
Rohit’s plan was to get on high of the Australian bowling, Nathan Lyon particularly, and by dint of his skill he has earned the appropriate to play some tough photographs even in tight conditions. But did Rohit present the appropriate self-discipline?
India at half-strength are combating in opposition to a full-strength Australia, boasting a world-class bowling assault at fortress Gabba. Apart from Rohit, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, the Indian batting is in need of a lot Test expertise. Rohit was anticipated to indicate higher self-discipline.
Seventeen years in the past in Sydney, Sachin Tendulkar had scored an unbeaten 241 in opposition to Australia with out taking part in a single cowl drive. The pitch was flat sufficient for India to attain 700-plus of their first innings and thoughts, Tendulkar might play that shot higher than most in that crew. Maybe, solely Sourav Ganguly’s cowl drive was extra elegant. Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Nathan Bracken and Stuart MacGill tried to tempt him with full deliveries exterior the off-stump many occasions. Tendulkar performed straighter, drove in the direction of mid-off as an alternative.
Like the continued collection, that one was additionally tied at 1-1 going into the ultimate Test. In the earlier Test, which Australia had gained to sq. the collection, Tendulkar was out caught behind in each innings. As the grasp batsman would reveal later, the choice to take the quilt drive out of his batting wasn’t pre-planned. It was taken on the sector. “I realised I needed discipline to be in the driver’s seat.” Tendulkar’s innings lasted 613 minutes and the nice man eschewed his ego for the better good of the crew.

Rohit Sharma on his dismissal within the first innings on the Gabba Test.#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/aIReacNKmP
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 16, 2021
When on music, Rohit has a shot-making vary even greater than Virat Kohli. But there’s a motive why Kohli has 27 centuries in 87 Tests, whereas Rohit is taking part in his thirty fourth Test and has scored simply six tons since making his debut in 2013. Rohit has made his recreation so much tighter across the off-stump, particularly after he agreed to open the innings within the longer format. But in contrast to Kohli, he nonetheless performs some low-percentage photographs. The one he tried in opposition to Lyon on Saturday was a living proof.
Lyon was bowling to a plan, having fielders at huge long-on and deep sq.. He bowled that supply a bit straighter, round center and leg, stopping Rohit from releasing his arms. The latter nonetheless performed the chip, which seemed a bit of premeditated. He wasn’t fairly to the pitch of the ball and will have defended it. He might have made some changes as nicely to play it alongside the carpet. For a lesser batsman, the second choice was tough. But somebody of Rohit’s calibre was anticipated to do the needful.
At the press convention, Rohit spoke about his “process” of attempting to dominate the bowling as soon as he was in (nicely set). And he appeared to be in full management till giving freely his wicket. Whether overconfidence had crept in or it was pure intuition, that might be tough to inform from a distance. Either means, it was a unfastened shot. Dominating opposition bowling doesn’t imply not eschewing the ego when required. Better batsmen than Rohit in Test cricket, all-time greats of the sport, did it many occasions. Vivian Richards seldom tried something extravagant in opposition to Bhagwat Chandrasekhar. Tendulkar didn’t thoughts shunning the quilt drive on the SCG. That was batting self-discipline at its greatest, which Rohit lacked.
Saturday’s dismissal wasn’t a case in isolation. Rohit, in actual fact, has been a repeat ‘offender’ on this regard. His batting artistry can match the nice Gundappa Viswanath. The latter, nonetheless, scored 14 Test centuries and India by no means misplaced a Test when he scored 100.
India vs Australia: Expert at self-destruction
“The difference is that GR Viswanath could rise to the occasion and he played according to the situation. Rohit had no business playing that shot, especially when a fielder was posted there. And if he says he will continue playing that way, I am afraid his Test career will be shortened down,” Viswanath’s teammate, former India seamer Karsan Ghavri advised The Indian Express.
In 1984, a poor shot from Kapil Dev in opposition to England in Delhi had triggered an Indian batting collapse, and the match led to a defeat for the hosts. The then choice committee dropped the nice all-rounder for the following Test for taking part in a “silly shot”. Nobody is suggesting that Rohit ought to undergo the identical destiny as Kapil, and he won’t. But possibly, reasonably than being defiant, the opener ought to have a look at his dismissals with humility.
Many moons in the past in Pakistan, Chetan Sharma needed to face Sunil Gavaskar after getting out to a poor shot. Sharma, new to worldwide cricket then, performed like a typical tail-ender, however his captain was furious. The former India pacer would affirm how Gavaskar advised him if he ever tried such a shot once more, his India profession can be over.
Sharma is now the chairman of selectors and may have a phrase with Rohit. Gavaskar’s touch upon 7Cricket on Day 2 of the Brisbane Test might function an excellent reference level. “Why? Why? Why? That’s an unbelievable shot. That’s an irresponsible shot. There is a fielder there at long-on, there is a fielder there at deep square-leg. You’ve just hit a boundary a couple of deliveries earlier, why would you play that shot? You’re a senior player, there’s no excuse, absolutely no excuse for this shot.”