Published: May 23, 2011, 12:40 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 24, 2014, 05:02 PM (IST)
By Devarchit Varma
Rohit Sharma has got all the talent in the world. He just needs to get his mind and attitude right – Shane Warne
It’s evident that Rohit Sharma hasn’t done justice to his talents bestowed upon him by the Almighty nor has he lived up to the high expectations of him by the cricketing fraternity.
Some knowledgeables have even gone to the extent of saying that he has the potential to become another Sachin Tendulkar because of his ability to play all the strokes in the books and some outside the book, the ease with which he finds the gaps, the gift to hit clean and long over the boundary… India has seen very few young talent as rich as Rohit since Tendulkar came on the scene. Yet, Rohit’s international career has been only of high expectations.
He has a brilliant record in the domestic circuit; a batting average of 60-plus from 43 first-class matches that speak volumes for his talent. Someone who could be a fitting replacement when legends like Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman call it a day.
But has he done enough to justify the praise or has he carried the splendid form from the domestic circuit to the international? It doesn’t seem so.
In 61 One-Day Internationals, Rohit has scored just 1,248 runs at a mediocre average of 27.13, though he has done well in the T20 format, averaging 35 in 20 matches for India. His dominance with the bat has continued in the Indian Premier League.
Then there is Virat Kohli, as young as Rohit and like the Mumbaikar seemed like going astray. Kohli is not as naturally gifted as Rohit, but he has not only been far more successful at the international level but is already spoken of as a future India captain. That underlines the importance of temperament over talent.
As a newcomer, Kohli got lost by the trappings of glamour and money that comes with cricket. But he has enjoyed tremendous success since his return in the national side. He was quick to learn from his mistakes and get his priorities right to get himself on the path to success.
Kohli has cemented his position in the Indian ODI squad. He scored a century in the World Cup opener and then played a mature innings of 35 in the final against Sri Lanka which helped India recover and get on the path to victory. The Delhi batsman has amassed more than 1,900 runs from 54 ODIs, at an average of 44 plus. The tour of the West Indies could well see him establish his place in the India Test side as well.
Exclusion from the World Cup side was a wake-up call for Rohit. It must have really hurt him that he missed the chance to be part of history by staking a place in the victorious Indian team. The change is already visible. It’s showing in his fitness levels and, of course, in his brilliant performances in IPL4. If Rohit were to establish himself in the Indian side, it would help the team get a brilliant batsman, an exceptional fielder and a more-than-useful bowler – in fact, a quality all-rounder.
The forthcoming tour of the West Indies could well prove to be the turning point of Rohit’s career. And with the likes of Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman on the threshold of retirement, it’s imperative that the immensely talented Rohit and Kohli stamp their personal success on the tour of Caribbean.
(Devarchit Varma is a cricket fanatic who finds nothing more exciting to do than to write, watch or play cricket. An ardent Test cricket fan, he often goes alone to see his favourite players in action)
