'The Footwork Was Palpably Slow' - Gavaskar On Rohit Sharma's Chennai Failure
Rohit Sharma got out for a duck vs Australia [AP]
Sunil Gavaskar highlighted a technical chink in Rohit Sharma's armoury after the Indian skipper flop show in his team's opening game of the ICC World Cup 2023 on Sunday against Australia. The legendary batter pointed out how Rohit's "footwork" playing seamer Josh Hazlewood for a duck was "palpably slow".
Rohit was done in by the late movement that Hazlewood extracted off the deck and got the experienced opening batter out LBW without opening his account. The Indian captain would've been bitterly disappointed not to have got his bat down in line for the incoming delivery despite entering the World Cup in great form.
Gavaskar felt Rohit was lazy and too late in crouching low for Hazlewood's skiddy full-pitched delivery and will have to showcase more urgency with his footwork if he is to make quick amends and enjoy the kind of run he did at the 2019 edition in England in what could be his last World Cup for India.
Gavaskar Critical Of Rohit Sharma's Slow Footwork
"In the last tournament in 2019, Rohit Sharma, the Indian skipper, hit five centuries and a few half-centuries too. This time around, which could well be his last World Cup, he has begun with a zero in the first game," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.
"The footwork is palpably slow to start with, and that makes him vulnerable to the incoming delivery. If he can rediscover the 2019 form, then India will be assured of a very good start to their campaign," he added.
Rohit, who had earlier marked the World Cup trophy critical to his legacy, emerged as the highest run-getter of the 2019 World Cup in England with five exceptional centuries and has been in spectacular form at the top of the order in recent years. The 36-year-old will be hoping to regain his best touch after the Chennai hiccup when India next takes on Afghanistan in Delhi this Wednesday (October 11).
Gavaskar warned Rohit & company to not take the spirited Afghans lightly by stating there are no clear "favourites" in the ten-team competition considering the familiarity with the conditions across the board and the wealth of experience and depth available.
"The so-called minnows, Afghanistan and the Netherlands, have started with defeats as also Sri Lanka who had to qualify for the tournament. It’s going to be a long haul for all the teams, and no one can be termed as favourites after they have played their first match. That’s why this tournament could well be the most exciting of them all," he added.
India will play their next game against Afghanistan in Delhi on Wednesday, October 11.
 "Kashish Chadha")
