Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed the view that Rohit Sharma had the responsibility of shouldering the burden of the inexperienced Indian batting lineup during the chase of a 231-run target in the recently concluded Test series opener against England in Hyderabad. Rohit Sharma wasn’t quite able to dictate the terms against the mighty Britishers in the opening Test match.
Sanjay Manjrekar’s unique take on Rohit Sharma
Manjrekar highlighted Sachin Tendulkar’s past role in shouldering similar responsibilities for many years in his career. He suggested that the Indian team appeared to be under significant pressure while attempting to chase down a challenging target in the Test series opener against England in Hyderabad. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo Manjrekar said,
“You saw Yashasvi Jaiswal got 80 at a strike rate of 100. In the second innings, for no reason, the strike rate was 40. The one reason has to be that they came into bat feeling the pressure. That is where Rohit Sharma had to do a job that Sachin Tendulkar did for many years — be that one batter to take care,”
Rohit Sharma made a promising start in the fourth innings, but he couldn’t convert it into a substantial score and was eventually dismissed for 39. India fell short in their chase, getting bowled out for 202 on Day 4, resulting in a 28-run defeat against England in the Test series opener in Hyderabad.
Sanjay Manjrekar emphasized that India’s young batters, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer, need to exhibit more courage and play their natural game without being overly cautious. He suggested that providing them the freedom to express themselves would be beneficial for their development in Test cricket. The former Indian batsman added,
“India once again erred on the side of too much caution. If you’ve got players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, or Shreyas Iyer, who project themselves as attacking players, then no matter what the situation, they’ve got to stick to that style because that is something they are more comfortable with. And if in that endeavor India loses a match, the fans also have to be understanding that they tried to play what they were good at,”
Tom Hartley, making his debut for England, was exceptional with the ball in the fourth innings of the Test against India. The debutant spinner took seven wickets, playing a crucial role in England’s victory in the series opener in Hyderabad.
The time has come for us to look at this Indian team from the temperament point of view- Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar expressed concern about India’s ability to handle pressure situations, highlighting instances where the team has struggled to make a comeback once the opposition gains control of the game.
Speaking more about the match, Manjrekar said,
“The time has come for us to look at this Indian team from the temperament point of view. When their backs are against the wall and the pressure is immense, where they realize what is at stake if they lose the game,”
England has taken a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series against India, winning the opening match in Hyderabad. The second Test is scheduled to be held at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam from February 2 to 6.