‘Why did he not…’ – Sunil Gavaskar slams Rohit Sharma for not coming earlier during India’s chase vs Bangladesh
Rohit Sharma, the team India captain, scored an unbeaten 51 in the second ODI against Bangladesh on December 7, Wednesday and almost pulled off an epic win. However, despite his valiant innings, India lost the match by 5 runs and eventually, lost the series as well.
To add more, Rohit came in at Number 9 and stunned everyone with his sixes that seemed to be coming for fun. The right-handed batter walked off the field after injuring himself during the Bangla Tigers’ innings and gambled to play for the country when India were struggling to reach the target of 272.
The batter brought down the equation to such a level that India required 12 runs off 2 balls to win the match. While the first went for a maximum, Rohit failed to convert the second into a maximum as well, eventually letting the Bangla Tigers take home the win.
He should have batted at No. 7: Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar, who was in awe of Rohit’s blistering innings, claimed that the captain must have played at Number 7 instead of at 9. Further, the legendary cricketer said that the batter could have won India, the game had he come in to bat earlier in the innings.
“Everybody knows the quality and class of the man. And the thing now, when India came so close, is why did he not come in to bat earlier. If he was going to bat at No. 9, then he should have batted at No. 7,” Gavaskar was quoted as saying to Sony Sports Network.
“What that could have done is, I think, Axar Patel would have played differently. Axar thought that maybe Rohit Sharma won’t bat, and therefore he played that shot. At that stage, there was no need to play that shot. Axar was batting so well, he was picking the ball well, and had he continues, you never know, the outcome could have been different. At No. 9, he almost got India to a memorable win so had he come to bat at 7, India would have had a much better chance,” he added.
