“What kind of an entitlement is this” - Former Karnataka cricketer slams Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai connection during BGT 2024-25
Team India skipper Rohit Sharma received support from former Indian cricketer and national selector Jatin Paranjape following twin failures in the recently concluded Adelaide Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against Australia. Paranjape backed the senior batter to turn things around in the remaining games of the crucial series. However, former India and Karnataka cricketer Dodda Ganesh called out Paranjape for his reasoning.
Paranjape emphasized that form is temporary while class is permanent. He also suggested that being a Mumbai batter, Sharma would regain his mojo in the upcoming matches.
During an interview with IANS, he said:
"I know he's had a really bad run in the last few Test innings. But I think form is temporary, and class is permanent. I have a very, very good feeling about Rohit Sharma coming good, as let's not forget that he's a Mumbai batter."
Dodda Ganesh was unimpressed by Paranjape's 'Mumbai batter' comment for Sharma. Calling out the 'entitlement,' the 51-year-old wrote on the microblogging platform X:
"What kind of an entitlement is this? Someone can’t [be] good just because he hails from a particular place."
Rohit Sharma missed the Test series opener in Perth due to paternity leave. He joined the squad ahead of the second Test. The right-handed batter returned to India's middle-order after almost five years, giving up his opening spot for KL Rahul.
However, Sharma struggled to get going with the bat in the pink ball Test in Adelaide, registering scores of three and six while batting at No. 6. Australia clinched a comprehensive 10-wicket win in the contest to level the five-match series 1-1.
"He should return to his regular spot" - Sunil Gavaskar on Rohit Sharma
India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar believes Rohit Sharma should open the batting in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He suggested KL Rahul should return to the middle order after failing to score big as an opener in the Adelaide Test.
Gavaskar pointed out that Rahul was asked to open in the second Test because of his stellar 201-run partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the opening fixture. Reckoning that having Sharma back at the top of the order will benefit Team India, here's what the cricketer-turned-commentator said on Sports Tak (via Hindustan Times):
"He should return to his regular spot. We should remember why Rahul had opened. He did that because Rohit Sharma was not available for the first Test. Now I can understand why they kept KL Rahul as an opener in the second Test, he had a 200-plus partnership with Jaiswal. But now that he couldn't score this Test, I feel Rahul should go back to No. 5 or No.6 and Rohit Sharma should open. If Rohit scores quickly in the beginning, then he can score a big century also later."
The third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will begin in Brisbane on Saturday, December 14.