Asia Cup 2022: "Rohit Sharma looks very uncomfortable; he is seen shouting on the field" - Shoaib Akhtar on Team India captain cutting a frustrated figure
Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar feels Rohit Sharma needs to sharpen his captaincy skills following Team India's six-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup in Dubai on Tuesday. The Men in Blue are effectively out of the competition following their second loss in the Super 4.
India lost consecutive T20I games for the first time since losing to South Africa in June earlier this year. Rohit Sharma's side failed to defend a target for the second game running, ending their chances of winning the Asia Cup for the third time in a row, following their triumphs in 2016 and 2018.
Another close match in Dubai and it is Sri Lanka who win by 6 wickets.
Scorecard - bit.ly/AsiaCup2022-IN… #INDvSL #AsiaCup2022 https://t.co/zxOAo5yktG
Opining that India's misfortunes in the Asia Cup is a good wake-up call for the team ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia, Akhtar said on his YouTube channel:
"Rohit Sharma looks very uncomfortable; he is seen shouting on the field. India brought in Ashwin and dropped Bishnoi, which shows there is uncertainty in the camp. This is a really good wake-up call for India, coming before the World Cup."
Abay bat to suno bicharay ki https://t.co/KBJkEIXD01
The India captain was far from pleased with Arshdeep Singh's dropped catch in the Super 4 game against Pakistan. He cut a frustrated figure on the field during the loss against Sri Lanka as well.
You can find the most wickets in Asia Cup 2022 list here on Sportskeeda.
"There is a rise after every fall, and this fall might help them in the World Cup" - Shoaib Akhtar on Team India
Team India's preparations for the World Cup have taken a huge hit with their recent disappointing results and piling injury concerns. The Men in Blue look in disarray as they attempt to find the right combination while coping with the loss of key players.
Noting that this is a learning curve for Team India, Akhtar said:
"I do not think India played very poorly; they did not play well, that is a fact, but there is a rise after every fall, and this fall might help them in the World Cup."
Akhtar added:
"India should not be disheartened, but they should learn from this. They should find their final playing XI. Rohit Sharma has to sharpen up his captaincy as well."
The absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja have hit the team hard. Rishabh Pant's poor form in the shortest format continues to be a mounting problem amid a selection conundrum for the wicketkeeping position.
India will take on Afghanistan in their final Super 4 game on Thursday (September 8).
Will Team India mount a strong comeback in the upcoming home season and the T20 World Cup? Let us know what you think.