Rohit Sharma could score three tons in England series if he gets his shot selection right, says Sunil Gavaskar
Gavaskar feels Rohit could score three tons against England
|Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes that Rohit Sharma, who has no Test tons outside India, could score as many as three hundreds if he fixes his shot selection up-front. Gavaskar reckoned Rohit is vulnerable in the first two-three overs, but becomes indomitable when he’s set.
Rohit Sharma, five months ago in Australia, looked destined to turn his hideous away record around but an unfathomable shot selection from the opener meant that he got no big score to his name. Despite getting starts - 52 and 44 - in Sydney and Brisbane respectively, the right-hander’s uncontrollable urge to go for the glory hit cost him in both Tests, and while he did make amends for it through his showing against England, there are still question marks over the 34-year-old’s ability to be a force away from home, particularly against the moving ball.
Many believe that it’s Rohit’s temperament that is holding him back, and legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar is of the same opinion. Gavaskar, an unabashed admirer of the Mumbaikar, observed that the 34-year-old frequently gets into trouble due to bad shot selection, and opined that, come the England series, he could score three centuries if he shows more discipline with the bat.
"His thing is that all the time he is looking to attack. So sometimes, the shot selection is where he gets out. But if he gets that right, then he can get as many as three hundreds in this five-Test series," Gavaskar said on the Cricket Analyst podcast, reported Hindustan Times.
Batsmen are at their most vulnerable in the initial part of their innings when they are still finding their groove, and Gavaskar reckoned that Rohit was no different. Gavaskar noted that the opener has shoddy footwork early in his innings, but claimed that he becomes ‘very good’ once he settles.
"In his case, it’s always the first two-three overs. Those are the overs where his front foot is not quite getting to the pitch of the ball. But a couple of overs down the road, once his front foot starts reaching the pitch of the ball, then he is very good.”
The WTC Final against New Zealand in Southampton will be Rohit Sharma’s second-ever Test in England, having last played in the country back in 2014.
