The former head coach of Indian cricket team, Ravi Shastri reckons that captain Rohit Sharma was rather ‘restrained’ at the loss against Australia in the pink-ball Test against Australia in Adelaide where India completely outplayed at the end of the day had preferred himself with 10-wicket defeat which pricked a massive dent on the prospects of their World Test Championship (WTC) Final. Emerging out from such disappointing experience, Shastri said that he needs to see Rohit as animated, involved in coming matches, and strong in bouncing back in the five-match series.
“That’s the reason I want him at the top. So that’s where he can be aggressive and expressive. Just thought he was a little too subdued, just seeing his body language. The fact that he didn’t make runs. I don’t think there was enough on the field there. Just, I wanted to be seeing him more involved, alive. You still have to believe that you can bounce back in this series. You have seen in the last decade what these two teams have done; in the end, you lose one and win the next. It’s bound to happen.” Ravi Shastri told the broadcasters.
Shastri also suggested India learn from Australia’s way of doing things and insecurities about the same will have to be reflected in terms of upgradation before the important crucial third Test. The former India head coach also suggested going back to the middle-order for Indian star KL Rahul with Rohit donning the role of an opening batter once again.
“I like Pat Cummins” choice of words in Perth because he said we weren’t good enough but not as bad as what the scoreboard showed. It is because it said it was not about what people said or what had been written about, but was about what the scoreboard showed. I think India can take a leaf out of that. Cherry would mean going back to the middle order. But that’s what it was going to be if Ro- hit Sharma was starting from the first Test itself.” said Shastri.
