"That's one thing Rohit Sharma needs to be careful of" - Sanjay Manjrekar questions move to send Sundar ahead of Sarfaraz in IND vs NZ 2024 2nd Test
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar questioned Rohit Sharma's move to send Washington Sundar into bat ahead of Sarfaraz Khan in the second innings of the second Test against New Zealand in Pune. Describing the tactic as a bizarre one, he cautioned the Indian captain over using T20-style thinking with regard to match-ups in Test cricket.
India went down to New Zealand by 113 runs in the second Test in Pune on Saturday, October 26. Chasing a target of 359, they were all out for 245 as the Kiwis registered a historic Test series triumph in India. New Zealand had won the first Test in Bengaluru by eight wickets.
In India's second innings in Pune, all-rounder Sundar was promoted ahead of the in-form batter Sarfaraz. Disagreeing with the move, Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo (as quoted by news agency PTI:
"The move to have Sarfaraz Khan bat down the order and sending Washington Sundar above him because he is a left-hander, those kind of things shouldn't happen. It's just bizarre. That's one thing that Rohit Sharma needs to be careful of ... the T20 thinking of match-ups left hand-right hand combinations. I think he should just go by the overall quality and ability of players."
While Sundar was dismissed by Glenn Phillips for 21, Sarfaraz was bowled by Mitchell Santner for nine. Sarfaraz looked completely clueless against the New Zealand left-arm spinner, who claimed 13 wickets in the contest.
"The coach has the minimal influence on a team" - Sanjay Manjrekar reckons criticism of Gautam Gambhir unfair
Apart from skipper Rohit, coach Gautam Gambhir has also come in for a lot of criticism in the wake of India's shocking loss to New Zealand, their first Test series defeat at home in 12 years. Manjrekar, though, feels that it would be unfair to blame Gambhir too much, as the coach has minimal influence on a team.
While praising the decision to pick Sundar for the Pune Test, the former India batter commented:
"I will still maintain that the coach has the minimal influence on a team, lesser than your 11th weakest player. He does not set foot on the ground, the captain is in-charge out there. But you have to applaud him for Washington Sundar's selection, which was an immediate hit.
"But the move to send Washington ahead of Sarfaraz Khan or maybe four spinners here would have made more sense. But to put any kind of responsibility on the door of Gautam Gambhir would be terribly unfair because until now we can't do it because in cricket, a coach has minimal influence on performances," Manjrekar added.
Playing his first Test in nearly three years, Sundar registered career-best figures of 7-59 in the first innings in Pune and followed up with 4-56 in the second essay.