Indian opener Rohit Sharma was asked to bat at number three to slot in Ishan Kishan at the top of the order against New Zealand.  The decision to push the senior opener down the order was questioned by several cricket experts. In the end, Rohit was dismissed for 14 while Virat Kohli batting at number four scored just 9. India scored a below part 110 which was tracked down easily by the New Zealand batsman.

Meanwhile, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar alongside Madan Lal questioned the thinking and strategy behind pushing Rohit Sharma down the order. Indian skipper Virat Kohli blasted a Pakistani journalist after he questioned Rohit’s place in the XI against the Men in Green. Against New Zealand though, Virat almost did the same thing by dropping Rohit down the order, while he is one of the best openers in the world in T20 cricket.

On the debate around Rohit Sharma batting positive, Gavaskar first said that a young cricketer like Ishan Kishan should not have been asked to open the batting in a big game as this.

Ishan Kishan Is A Hit-Or-Miss Player: Sunil Gavaskar

“Ishan Kishan is a hit-or-miss player and it is better if a batsman like him walks in No.4 or No.5. He could then play according to the situation of the game. Now what has happened is that Rohit Sharma has been told that we don’t trust you to face the left-arm fast bowling of Trent Boult. If you do that to a player who has been playing at a position for so many years, he himself will think that maybe he doesn’t have the ability. If Ishan Kishan had made 70-odd runs we would have applauded. But when the ploy doesn’t work, you are going to be criticised,” said Gavaskar.

“Rohit Sharma is such a great batsman and he has been sent in at No.3. Kohli himself, who has made so many runs at No.3 demotes himself to No.4. A young player like Ishan Kishan has been given the responsibility of opening the batting,” Gavaskar further said.

Decision To Demore Rohit Sharma Was Wrong By Skipper Virat Kohli: Madan Lal

Thereafter Madan Lal also kept his views on Rohit Sharma’s demotion in the batting order. He said that the decision to demote Rohit was the wrong decision taken by the captain which is why they lost the game.

“Many a times there are decisions that the captain simply has to take and the decision to demote Rohit Sharma was wrong. He has been playing for so many years at the top but now the entire battling order changes,” he said.

India next play against Afghanistan on November 3 followed by Scotland and Namibia on November 5 and 7. They need to win all their remaining games by big margins and hope that a few more results go their way if they want to make it to the semi finals.

---