Rohit has scored only one half-century in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand.
Former wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik believes Rohit Sharma is not out of form despite the Indian captain’s series of low scores in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand at home.
While Rohit made 2 and 52 in the two innings of Bengaluru Test, he returned with scores of 0 and 8 in the second match in Pune.
Rohit was dismissed for just 18 on Day 1 of the third Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. He has one more innings left to make a mark in the series, which India have already conceded after losing the first two Tests.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Karthik claimed that Rohit was not out of form and shot selection was the root cause of his poor scores.
Karthik's comments came after Rohit edged one to the slips off Matt Henry on the first day of Mumbai Test. The mode of dismissal left former India spinner Anil Kumble worried ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
"I won't even for a second think that it is form. And I am saying that because of the shots that he is playing when he is lasting at the crease. When you are not in form, you cannot play the shots that he is playing. Backfoot punch off a good ball, a slight error in length and he is hitting a cover drive. So he is getting into good positions," Karthik said.
"What is happening is what is happening between the ears and that is something that Rohit can only help himself. As we all know that he is a world class player, the tempo that which he plays is phenomenal. It is his choice of shots. The ball was on the fourth stump, he ended up closing the face on it. And that is something that needs to be thought about because there were better shots on offer. Team India have had a very play series with the ball and bat, not a good series and they are way better than that," he added.
On the other hand, Kumble highlighted a glaring weakness in Rohit’s technique, saying that the batter's poor execution was leading to his downfall in red-ball cricket.
"If you go back to even to the Bangladesh Test match when it was seaming away from him, the ball which holds its line from that angle, is troubling Rohit Sharma consistently. Tim Southee exploited that. And today Matt Henry is exploited the same length. He opens up that right shoulder, which certainly makes him vulnerable. And if you look at the seam, it's just holding its line. It's looked to go away from the right-hander. There's not much swing here. The ball just hits the deck, stays with the line, and opens up thinking that the ball's coming back in," Kumble said on Jio Cinema.
India ended the first day’s play at 86/4, trailing the Kiwis by 149 runs. Besides Rohit, the hosts lost Yashasvi Jaiswal (30), night-watchman Mohammed Siraj (0) and Virat Kohli (4) before the close of play.
Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant resumed India’s innings on Day 2 of the third Test match in Mumbai.