New Delhi: Former India pacer Irfan Pathan criticised Indian skipper Rohit Sharma stating that he won’t be part of India’s playing XI in their ongoing Test series against Australia if he was not the captain of the team. Pathan’s scathing criticism of Rohit comes after India’s crushing 184-run defeat in the 4th Test against Australia in Melbourne on Monday.
The senior batters, including skipper Rohit failed to deliver again as India were bundled out for 155 runs in pursuit of a tricky target of 340 runs in their second innings to suffer a heavy defeat in the Test match. The loss saw India go 1-2 down in the five-match series, making the fifth and final Test in Sydney a must-win encounter for them with a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final on the line.
Rohit’s slump in form has been one of the biggest reasons behind India’s horror show in the series as the skipper has failed to fire at the top. After disappointing in the last two games, Rohit promoted himself back as an opener for the 4th Test in Melbourne. However, the story remained the same for the Indian skipper as he was dismissed cheaply on 3 and 9 in the two innings.
“A player who has made about 20,000 runs—yet the way Rohit is struggling now, it seems his form is not supporting him at all. What’s happening now is that he is the captain, so he is playing. If he were not the captain, he might not be playing right now,” Pathan said on Star Sports, criticising Rohit.
“You would have had a set team. K.L. Rahul would have been playing at the top. Jaiswal would have been there. Shubman Gill would have been there. If we talk about reality, considering how he is struggling with the bat, there might not have been a place for him in the playing XI,” he added.
Rohit was slammed by many for his flop show once again in the fourth Test as fans also questioned the team management’s decision to drop Shubman Gill from the playing XI and demote KL Rahul to no.3 to accommodate the Indian captain as the opener. Rohit’s poor form and consistent failures have raised questions regarding his future in Test cricket for India.
Rohit’s abysmal numbers in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25
Rohit headed into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 on the back of poor form having not performer well in the three-match Test series against New Zealand at home. However, the senior batter was expected to spark a turnaround in Australia. But he failed to do so and flopped in the middle order after making his comeback in the 2nd Test against the hosts in Adelaide.
Rohit failed as an opener as well in the 4th Test in Melbourne, inviting criticism from all corners. The Indian captain has endured a dismal series so far as he has managed to score only 31 runs in three Test matches against Australia at an abysmal average of 6.20. His batting average of 6.20 is the lowest by a visiting captain in a Test series in Australia and the second-lowest for a top-six batter in a Test series against Australia Down Under.
Former India star Irfan Pathan has criticised Indian captain Rohit Sharma over his poor form and said he wouldn’t be in the playing XI if he was not the skipper of the side. Rohit-led India suffered a crushing 184-run defeat in the 4th Test on Monday to go 1-2 down in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
