NEWS
Follow UsIn the fourth Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), India opted to fix something that was not broken by demoting the team’s highest run-getter, KL Rahul, to No.3 and opening with the out-of-form Rohit Sharma.
However, the optimistic promotion did not pay off as the Indian skipper disappointed yet again, falling for 3 off 5 balls.
The dismissal itself underlined Rohit’s struggles: he tried pulling a length delivery outside-off that seamed away and got in a tangle, ballooning one straight to Scott Boland at mid-on. The delivery was by no means unplayable, nor was it a threatening one from Pat Cummins, yet Rohit found a way to get out somehow.
Ricky Ponting, on Channel Seven, dissected the dismissal and reckoned that the manner of the dismissal spoke volumes about the mental state of the Team India skipper.
"That's just a lazy, not switched on, not up for the moment type of shot,” Ponting said on air, dissecting Rohit’s dismissal.
"He's been known as one of the best hookers and pullers of the ball since he's made his debut, but that's just not there. It's nothing. It's not committed, not really looking to be aggressive, he's just looking to tap it on the head.
"Might have held in the wicket yes, it might have seamed away from him a fraction. But if you're going to survive against this Australian attack, you've got to be switched on.
"You've got to be making good decisions. If you're not, they'll knock you over every time."
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With the dismissal, Rohit’s average since September dropped to an eye-watering 11.07 in 14 innings. During this period, he’s crossed the 25-run mark just once and has been dismissed nine times for single digits, including thrice in four innings this series.
