"I am not sure he believes in it right now" - Dinesh Karthik feels Rohit Sharma isn't mentally ready to fight his demons in BGT 2024-25
Former India stumper Dinesh Karthik reckons Rohit Sharma is struggling for runs in BGT 2024-25 because he seems to have lost faith in his mental ability to fight it out. Karthik, though, asserted that if the Indian captain shows the desired application, he can still come out of the rut he finds himself in.
Rohit's woeful form in Test cricket continued, as he was dismissed for 10 off 27 on Day 4 of the Brisbane Test against Australia on Tuesday, December 17. The right-handed batter was caught behind off his opposite number Pat Cummins.
During a discussion on Cricbuzz, Karthik downplayed the concerns over Rohit's technique, pointing out to his longevity at the top level. He opined that the Indian captain's problems are more in the mind:
"Rohit Sharma has played a decade and a half of international cricket. If you are telling me, his technique is not watertight, I would be very surprised. Like everybody else, he's got areas that he is vulnerable in, but he has the mental ability to fight it out. I am not sure he believes in it right now. That could be confidence. But, if he puts his mind to it, works on areas that he wants to really address as to how he wants to play, this question can be answered."
The 39-year-old added that Rohit cannot hit his way out of form, a method he has adopted with great success in white-ball cricket. Karthik urged the right-handed batter to fight it out in the middle by spending time at the crease and cutting down on strokes that are getting him into trouble. He elaborated:
"For some time now, he's attacked himself out of pressure. That's what India wanted in white-ball cricket. He was the pioneer for it. As leader, he showed how it should be done. It's time for him to show the other way round. Guts it out, make sure that he is there. Avoid shots that he knows will be dangerous on that pitch and back his technique."
Rohit's dismissal left India in big trouble at 74-5 on Day 4 of The Gabba Test. KL Rahul (84) and Ravindra Jadeja (77), though, led a solid fightback for the visitors, while the last-wicket pair of Akash Deep (27*) and Jasprit Bumrah (10*) ensured India avoided the follow-on.
Rohit Sharma has only one fifty in his last 13 Test innings
Rohit scored a hundred against England in the Dharamsala Test in March this year. However, since then, he has lost his batting rhythm. The Indian captain only has one fifty-plus score in his last 13 Test innings - 52 against New Zealand in the second innings in Bengaluru.
The batter had a highest score of 23 from four innings against Bangladesh. Against the Kiwis, he managed only 91 runs in six innings. In the ongoing BGT, he has registered scores of three, six and 10.