Indian captain Rohit Sharma has been the toast of the nation since leading India to the finals of the ICC World Test Championship and the ICC Mens Cricket World Cup 2023. Although India failed to win this two coveted titles, Rohit Sharma remained in the news for the controversies surrounding him during the IPL auction .
Since the end of World Cup, Rohit Sharma who stunned the world with his fearless approach and swashbuckling hitting at the top of the order for India which was instrumental in constructing many of India’s wins in the World Cup, went on a long leave to recover from the World Cup heist. His batting prowess in the powerplay against the left hand quicks since the Asia Cup and World Cup has silenced his ability to fall as a quick bunny to these bowlers.
Since his return as skipper for the South African Test Series, many experts feel that in the hostile bowling conditions against the red Kookaburra inswinging and outswinging with likes of South African left hand swing bowlers Marco Jansen and new sensation Nandre Burger, Rohit Sharma could be the vital cog as an opener to set the pace for the Indian innings right at the top with his positive approach and hard hitting intent
Rohit Sharma was comfortable against Australia with the new ball – Sanjay Manjrekar
Despite being the dominant force in red-ball cricket over the past eight years, India has still not found a way to win the elusive Test series in South Africa. With Rohit set to captain the Test side for the first time in the rainbow nation, his match-up against the South African left-arm pacers Marco Jansen and Nandre Burger has started doing the rounds
Former Indian batter turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels that the weakness against left hand quick bowlers is the thing left behind in the past by Rohit Sharma and the new version of Rohit Sharma would be more confident to take them when he faces them as a opener fearlessly and positively.
Speaking to Star Sports, Manjrekar quashed the claims of Rohit’s struggles against left-arm seamers. He also pointed to recent examples against Mitchell Starc and Shaheen Afridi.
“The weakness you are talking about, the weakness against left-handers, is a thing of the past, Not anymore. In the last two or three years, he hasn’t had any problems. Mitchell Starc in the home series. He was comfortable against Australia with the new ball,” said Sanjay Manjrekar
“Shaheen Afridi was supposed to be the danger man against Rohit Sharma. That was a Rohit who used to plant his front foot across the line. Not anymore. I think he has become a good Test player,” he added.
While Rohit Sharma never faced substantial issues against the left-arm seam in the longer format, he had the habit of being LBW or bowled in the white-ball game. Yet, Rohit has improved his average from 24.5 last year to 47 this year with a marked increase in strike rate from 94.2 to 121.8 against that bowling style in ODIs.
Despite facing numerous left-arm seamers like Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult, Marco Jansen, and David Willey during the recent World Cup, the 36-year-old came out with flying colors. He finished as the tournament’s second-leading run-scorer behind Virat Kohli with 597 runs at an impressive average of over 54.
When Rohit Sharma gets runs at the Test level these days, it’s just occupation of the crease- Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar also praised Rohit Sharma for his remarkable improvement and the ability to occupy the crease for long periods in Test cricket. Following an inconsistent start to career, the veteran batter has made drastic strides, especially away from home, since 2019.
In that period, Rohit has averaged an incredible 53.64 in 25 Tests with seven centuries.
Cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar also pointed to his sensational Test series in England in 2021-22 as an example of Rohit’s transformation as a red-ball batter.
“He plays exactly the opposite. When he gets runs at the Test level these days, it’s just occupation of the crease, which is an incredible memory that I have of him from England. When he came to the fore as a Test opener, he got a hundred there and ended up as the highest run-getter in that series. The number of hours he batted there in that series. The occupation of the crease is giving him a high now in Tests. It’s exactly the opposite role he played in the World Cup,” said Sanjay Manjrekar.
Rohit Sharma was India’s leading run-scorer in the England series, with 368 runs in four Tests at an average of 52.57. However, his Test record in South Africa is dismal, to say the least, with an average of 15.37 in four outings.
India will play the first of the two Tests in South Africa, starting in Centurion on December 26 and Rohit Sharma in his newly found formed will try to set his record right at the top to guide India to its first series win in the rainbow nation touted as the FINAL FRONTIER for Team India.