“Intent is getting him into a safe space where he feels when in trouble, use that”- Dinesh Karthik questions Rohit Sharma’s batting approach in Tests

Former Indian wicket-keeper bat Dinesh Karthik questioned Rohit Sharma’s batting approach after India suffered a 25-run loss in the third Test match against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday to concede the series by 3-0. 

Rohit was dismissed after scoring 11 runs when he attempted a big shot against Matt Henry but was caught brilliantly by Glenn Phillips. The Indian skipper has been dismissed while trying to play the big shots in the recent past and hasn’t been at his best.

The Indian opener could only manage 91 runs in three Test matches against the Kiwis at an average of 15.17 as he failed to lead from the front.

Dinesh Karthik said on Cricbuzz, “In Test cricket, what I feel is that intent is getting him into a safe space where he feels when in trouble, use that. It’s not a method where he’s using it like he’s using it in white ball cricket, one that Indian team needed. Here, a lot of times, when he is beaten a couple of times, when he is put under a little bit of pressure, an immediate instinct is to play an attacking shot fraught with risk. Now, with that comes the ability to get out as well.”

“I think his safe space right now, in Rohit Sharma’s case, is to attack. Then in that, he feels he is a lot more comfortable doing because he’s seen that success. But when it doesn’t go right, it always will give the image that it has given so far.”

Karthik, who has taken giant strides as a broadcaster, feels Rohit is not trusting his technique and he is taking the attacking route to bail out of trouble. 

“So, the one thing that Rohit Sharma is not doing, which he did very well when he took up his role as an opener, is trust his technique. Yes, attack is an option. But that will only come better if you trust your technique. Because you are worried you might get out defending or playing a soft shot, you are trying to attack. Then, that is fraught with risk. Because if it doesn’t come off, it looks silly,” said Karthik.

“He went to England. He left a lot of balls. He decided that I can play shots. But what I am going to do is, anything outside the off-stump, I am going to let it go. I am going to have the mental strength to bat long. He got a 100. He got a 90. So, I think that’s where he needs to go back to. To trust his ability to defend and see through tough phases,” added Karthik.

Rohit had scored 368 runs in four Test matches at an average of 52.57 on tour of England in 2021 as an opener in testing conditions but he has looked at sea in the last five Test matches at home against Bangladesh and New Zealand.