Former India captain and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar pointed out a major issue for current India skipper Rohit Sharma ahead of the WTC 2023 final against Australia which will be played from June 7-11 at the Oval in London.
In the forthcoming World Test Championship Final, Rohit Sharma might find it challenging to transition from a T20 mentality to a Test, according to Vengsarkar. The Indian captain has not been performing at his best lately and had a miserable Indian Premier League season.
Rohit’s poor form in IPL 2023 is a huge concern for India as it was the fourth season in a row where Rohit failed to cross the 400-run mark in IPL. The Mumbai Indians skipper scored just 332 runs in 16 matches at an average of 20.75.
Vengsarkar feels that Rohit has to prepare well to mold himself in the Test mode as he has been playing the shortest format for the last couple of months.
“More than the form I think the fact that he will be straightaway coming to the Test match from T20s might be a bit of an issue. I wish they had a few practice games before the WTC final. When you go into a Test match as big as this and remember, there are no second chances, unlike a series, it is important you are prepared well," Vengsarkar told Hindustan Times.
About a week before the WTC Final, the Indian captain landed in England to switch to red-ball cricket and acclimatize to the English playing conditions.
Vengsarkar, part of India’s 1983 World Cup winning side, also said that India should pick KS Bharat ahead of Ishan Kishan in the playing XI.
“KS Bharat is the specialist wicketkeeper, so I think he should play," he said.
Vengsarkar continued by highlighting the differences between the environmental circumstances in India and England, but he added that India has a seasoned batting squad that can adjust to them.
“English conditions are very different from what we see here in India or even in Australia. The ball can swing for a longer duration if conditions are like that. The length that the bowler's bowl is also a bit different. And if there is an extra bounce on offer then it is that much more difficult.
So, I hope the Indian batters acclimatize very soon. They are all experienced players. They have toured England before. It’s the same for Australia. The team that adapts and acclimatizes to the condition quicker will do well," he added.
(Hindustan Times inputs)
