"Perth, Gabba, Adelaide pink-ball, this will have to be addressed ASAP in capital letters" - Aakash Chopra on Rohit Sharma's dismissal in 3rd Test
Aakash Chopra has noted that Team India skipper Rohit Sharma needs to address the technical issues that have contributed to his dismissals lately. He pointed out that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is around the corner, with the first three Tests of that series supposed to be played on seamer-friendly tracks and conditions.
India bowled New Zealand out for 235 in their first innings of the third Test in Mumbai on Friday, November 1. Rohit was then dismissed for 18 as the hosts ended Day 1 at 86/4 in their first essay.
Reviewing the day's play on Colors Cineplex, Chopra urged Rohit to resolve his technical issues as soon as possible.
"If you are getting trapped at the Wankhede Stadium in the evening, the upcoming time is of the BGT (Border-Gavaskar Trophy). So this is something to think about. Perth, Gabba, Adelaide pink-ball, this will have to be addressed ASAP in capital letters," he reasoned.
The reputed commentator reckons the Indian skipper misjudged the length of the delivery and consequently failed to move his feet.
"It needs to be addressed since it's happening repeatedly. We are just talking but he will have to address this. Here it seemed like he didn't read the length properly because this was not a full ball. It was probably a ball to play off the back foot. However, you were neither forward nor back," Chopra explained.
"If you don't go either forward or back, the principle is the same, if the front foot doesn't move and remains in its position, the body turns, and if the back foot doesn't go back and remains in its position, the body has to turn. It's the natural reaction of the body, that the torso will move, and both shoulders will start facing the bowler," he added.
Rohit Sharma was dropped twice before he was dismissed. While William O'Rourke grassed an offering at fine leg off Matt Henry's bowling, Tom Blundell failed to grab a difficult chance behind the wickets off Ajaz Patel's bowling.
"We actually saw him doing something different today" - Aakash Chopra on Rohit Sharma's footwork
![Rohit Sharma struck three fours during his 18-run knock. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/94505-17304692707208-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same discussion, Aakash Chopra noted that Rohit Sharma seemed to have adopted a different technique on Friday.
"We are discussing but there would be serious discussion there. He would also be practicing because we actually saw him doing something different today. He never used to have such a big shuffle. Rohit's specialty is minimum movement and maximum rewards," he said.
However, Chopra added that the adjustments the Indian opener made didn't yield the desired results.
"However, if you have discarded that philosophy, it means you understand that you are having more difficulties. We are showing the pattern but he has understood it and he was trying to address it. It's unfortunate that he was trapped today as well," he observed.
Rohit has endured a lean run lately. He has aggregated a paltry 122 runs in his last nine Test innings, with the 52-run knock in the second innings of the first game against New Zealand being his only half-century in that period.