In the second Test match between India and New Zealand in Pune, India's strategy under Rohit Sharma's captaincy has raised questions once again.
Sunil Gavaskar, the former India captain, made a remark during commentary on Day 1. Gavaskar criticized Rohit Sharma’s field placements, implying that the captain’s tactics were too defensive early on in the match.
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His comments came after India had made multiple changes to the playing XI, which included the inclusion of Washington Sundar and the exclusion of Kuldeep Yadav and KL Rahul. The Test series is crucial for both teams, especially after India's defeat in Bengaluru.
What did Sunil Gavaskar say on Rohit Sharma's defensive approach?
Sunil Gavaskar was on air during the first session of play when he took a dig at Rohit Sharma’s field placements. He highlighted how the decision to place fielders at long on and long off early on was defensive.
"But if he had fielders like that — long on and long off before a lofted shot had been played, the captain would have been called a 'defensive captain.' He is a defensive captain, a negative captain. How you try and block boundaries."
"He is a defensive captain, he is a negative captain"
— M. (@IconicKohIi) October 24, 2024
Sunil gavaskar not holding back in exposing Rohit's captaincy 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Ch9WYN6g5V
Ian Smith- Rohit Sharma has been very generous with his fields on day 1 of the Test match.
— CricXtasy (@CricXtasy) October 24, 2024
Sunil Gavaskar- Yes I agree, in our times he would be called a ‘defensive captain’. #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/aD3RbiYv36
His comment came in the context of India looking to avoid giving away any boundaries to New Zealand’s top order over picking up wickets, particularly against Tom Latham and Devon Conway, who were trying to settle in on the slow Pune pitch.
Is Rohit Sharma being defensive or tactical?
Rohit’s field placements suggest that he may have been trying to block boundaries and control the run flow early in the match. However, with India opting for three changes, including bringing in Washington Sundar, it is evident that the team is cautious, perhaps fearing another defeat.
Sunil Gavaskar’s remarks highlighted the fine line between defensive and tactical decisions, questioning whether Rohit was trying to safeguard the game or playing too cautiously.
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This has sparked debate over whether India’s captain was being overly defensive or simply responding to New Zealand’s batting approach. With the match unfolding on a slow turner in Pune, India will need to strike a balance between containing runs and attacking for wickets, something Rohit will have to consider as the game progresses.
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