'Even with all the IPL experience...': Gavaskar points out Rohit's shortcomings as captain with brutal Kohli comparison
Weighing in on Rohit Sharma's tenure as captain, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar strongly feels that the India skipper has disappointed due to several reasons.
It has been over 18 months that Rohit Sharma became India's all-format captain, but all he has to show for his achievements are a few bilateral series wins and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. For all the experience Rohit possesses of leading Mumbai Indians in the IPL – a side he has won five IPL trophies with, Sharma has not been able to replicate the same for India. When he was appointed as captain, succeeding Virat Kohli, Rohit had big shoes to fill, with many backing him to end India's wait for an ICC silverware. However, one year down the line, that trivia remains changed. Rohit's India had two opportunities to end the drought – the T20 World Cup last year and the World Test Championship final last month – but on both occasion, the team failed to break the deadlock of the last 10 years.
Besides, that India could not qualify for the Asia Cup final mustn't be forgotten, losing to Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the Super 4. In the last one year, it is almost as if Indian cricket has taken 10 steps back since Rohit's appointment as captain. Sure enough, he hasn't had the luxury of a fully-fit Indian team at his disposal as Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and more continue to be on the sidelines due to injury, but given the kind of bench strength this team has – or at least they think they do – this Indian team under Rohit has surely underachieved.
Weighing in on Rohit's tenure as leader, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar strongly feels that the India captain has disappointed due to several reasons – one of them being the team's decline in overseas Tests. Under Kohli, Team India became a beast, winning Test series in Australia and going 2-1 up in England before the series decider was postponed to next year. But when Rohit got injured and Jasprit Bumrah took over in Edgbaston, India lost the Birmingham Test only for the series to end 2-2. So while India have been next to unbeatable at home – having lost the ODI series to Australia and the series loss in Bangladesh last year being another tough pill to swallow – Rohit's captaincy dominance has lagged in comparison to Kohli's.
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"I expected more from him (Rohit). In India it is different, but when you do well overseas that is really the test. That is where he has been a little disappointing. Even in the T20 format, with all the experience of the IPL, hundreds of matches as captain, with a mix of best IPL players not being able to get to the finals has been disappointing," Gavaskar told The Indian Express.
The first batter to score 10,000 international runs, Gavaskar was equally concerned by the lack of effectiveness from the Indian pacers. Under Kohli and Ravi Shastri, the fast bowlers made taking 20 wickets in a Test a habit, a new normal. But lately the same players appear to be lacking teeth, an example of which was highlighted by the Little Master from last month's WTC final against Australia at The Oval.
"They should be asking questions, 'Why did you field first?' Okay, it was explained at the toss that it was overcast and all. The question after that should be, 'You didn't know about Travis Head's weakness against the short ball?’ Why was the bouncer employed only when he had scored 80 runs. You know, the moment Head came in to bat, in the commentary box, we had Ricky Ponting saying, 'Bounce him, bounce him.' Everyone knew about it but we didn't try," he pointed out.
