With skipper Rohit Sharma struggling to decipher a way to score runs in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, former India coach Ravi Shastri says the stylish batter should go in with a clear mindset, change his tactics, and attack the bowlers. Rohit missed the opening Test Down Under to be with his family for the birth of his second child. He was expected to reclaim the opener’s spot but KL Rahul’s impressive 77 in India’s win at Perth prompted a rejig of the batting order with Rohit moving down to No.6. The change though has not been fruitful for Rohit as he has managed 10, 3 and 6 runs in the last three innings, while Rahul has encashed on the opportunity by notching up a fine 84 in the first innings at Brisbane in the third Test.
“I would like to see Rohit Sharma, his tactics change a bit because he can still be extremely dangerous at that number (six),” Shastri opined on ICC Review.
“I think he’s got to be very clear in his mindset to go out there and take the attack to the opposition and not worry about anything else,” the cricketer-turned-commentator added.
Shastri felt Rohit should shun the defensive mindset.
“The last thing you want is him to be in two minds whether to defend or attack. In his case, it should be attack. He picks up length quickly, he should take the opposition on at that number.
“Because if he gets away in the first 10-15 minutes, in any way, he’s not got past that 15-20 minutes, half an hour. So why don’t you play a natural game, go and take the attack to the opposition and take it from there?”
Shastri felt it’s the best way for Rohit to get back into form and win games for India, adding that the best No.6 batters in the world are those who have the ability to counter-attack.
“I think that is his best way of not just coming back into form, winning a game for India as well. Because that number is a crucial number.”
“The best No.6s in the world are the guys who know how to have the ability to counter-attack. They read the situation well. Yes, if a lot of wickets have fallen, maybe for a little while. You might have to be circumspect, but the intent has to be far sooner than later.
“Especially when you have that kind of ability and especially when you open the batting for India and you have all the shots for Australian conditions.”
Rohit had made his Test debut in 2013 at No. 6 position, marking the occasion with a century.
Shastri backed Rahul to retain the opener’s slot in the fourth Test following his two half-centuries so far in the five-Test series.
“I would have asked him (Rohit) to open in the last Test match (Brisbane) but then the way Rahul has batted, he was a joy to watch and the way he’s batting, I believe he struck a purple patch,” Shastri said.
“It could be a position he might just want to keep and enhance the way he’s playing because his technique was faultless,” said Shastri.
The former India captain said Rahul was currently at the top of his game and his confidence level too was very high.
“The way he left the ball, the way he allowed the ball to come onto the bat, some of his cover drives were as good as any played by anyone in world cricket at the moment. And so I think when there’s that much confidence there, you know, let it be.”
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