Veteran cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has shared his thoughts on Rohit Sharma’s recent performance, suggesting that the Indian captain should play for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy to regain his form. The 37-year-old Rohit struggled during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, managing to score only 31 runs across three matches, with an average of just 6.20.
After missing the Perth Test for personal reasons, Rohit returned for the Day-Night Test at Adelaide but found it hard to get going with the bat. In fact, he failed to reach double digits in four out of five innings, with his highest score being just 10 runs.
In an exclusive interview, Gavaskar remarked that first-class games are essential for Rohit to find his rhythm again. “While there aren’t many opportunities for four-day games, if Mumbai makes it to the knockout stages of the Ranji Trophy, he should definitely aim to play,” said Gavaskar.
He acknowledged that it might seem unfair to the players who have already competed in the earlier rounds, but emphasized that giving Rohit a chance to play could benefit Indian cricket as a whole. “This is crucial for him to spend time at the crease; it can help him work through his issues,” Gavaskar added.
Gavaskar went on to explain that for Rohit to regain his confidence, he needs to achieve a substantial score by batting for several hours. “It’s not just about playing a few overs in a limited-overs match. He needs to be out there for a whole day, putting in the effort for four to five hours and scoring big,” he said.
Due to his recent form, Rohit also missed the New Year’s Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Currently, Mumbai is sitting third in Elite Group A of the Ranji Trophy and is set to face Jammu and Kashmir in their next match.
