If there’s a conversation around the greatest ever ODI openers, Rohit Sharma will be one of the first ones to be mentioned. Only 8 batters overall and 3 openers registered more runs than him in 50-over cricket. He has 3 double hundreds in the format; no one has scored even two. To put it simply, Rohit is an ODI legend.
Yet, in the past few days, there have been murmurs about moving on from him. Following low scores – 26, 24, and 11 – against New Zealand, some think Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored his maiden ODI hundred against South Africa, should partner with Shubman Gill as India’s second opener.
Mind you, Rohit was India’s highest scorer against Australia, and until January 14, he was the number one-ranked ICC batter in ODI cricket. It’s as if people have the memory of goldfish. One bad series and an ageing legend has been told to retire.
Indian management doesn’t want Rohit Sharma?
In an exclusive conversation with InsideSport, Manoj Tiwary talked about how there’s been a growing disrespect towards Rohit. He wasn’t pleased with BCCI’s move to remove him as ODI captain and thinks that the management is actively trying to drop Rohit and ensure that he doesn’t play the 2027 ODI World Cup.
“When the captaincy was taken away from Rohit Sharma, I felt that a few people were just waiting for him to fail. If he hadn’t scored a hundred in Australia and failed in 3 matches against New Zealand, I think the selectors would have been forced to drop him.
To remove someone who has won the Champions Trophy as captain, what message does that send? It means that the team (management) doesn’t want Rohit to go to the ODI World Cup. But the way he performed in Australia and against South Africa, he proved that he’s not finished and still has a lot of cricket left in him. Just because he didn’t perform in 3 matches doesn’t mean he won’t do well in the coming games. He’s a batter who has scored 3 double hundreds. He should be given respect,” Manoj told InsideSport.
Displeased with Indian assistant coach
The former Indian cricketer isn’t pleased with his former Kolkata Knight Riders teammate Ryan ten Doeschate. After Rohit was dismissed for 24 in the second ODI against New Zealand, the current Indian assistant coach claimed that Rohit wasn’t fluent.
“Over a short period of time, if you take the first ODI, he (Rohit) has not been as fluent as he has been, and that’s going to be a challenge for him, not playing cricket between series,” Ryan had said.
Manoj wasn’t pleased with the comment from the former Netherlands captain. He reiterated that such statements could cause issues for a player. They are already struggling to score, and instead of backing them, their coach is criticising them.
“With due respect to Ryan ten Doeschate, I want to say, don’t make such statements. You are causing a batsman mental stress, putting him under pressure. Had he been commenting from the outside, it would have made sense. But he’s a member of the support staff.
He interacts with Rohit regularly and even helps him practise. But when he’s talking with the media, you question his form. It’s better to keep quiet. You have learn the art of leaving questions as well. Just like a batter learns to leave balls outside the off stump, the support staff must leave some questions that may be damning to a player’s mindset,” Manoj added.
