Rohit Sharma: Prodigy or Tragedy?
Rohit Sharma: Prodigy or Tragedy?
‘Talent Meets Opportunity’ might be the tagline for Indian Premier League (IPL) but it goes in synchronisation with the way a career has shaped so far. The only two-time double-centurion in One-Day Internationals (ODIs), after a magnificent start at home in the whites, has fallen to an extent. Rohit Sharma’s career has taken a hit in the format that separates men from boys. Nikhil Popat ponders whether Rohit may end up being just another specialist in coloured clothing who had the potential but it remain unfulfilled.
February 6, 2010: India were set to play the first Test against South Africa. It could have been home Test debut for Rohit Sharma. Not many batsmen are blessed with such privileges. Rohit was added as a cover for VVS Laxman. Rohit had already played a lot of ODIs for India. He made his ODI debut on a tour to Ireland in 2007 but was a star in the domestic circuit already. His twin fifties in the CB series in Australia in 2008, his innings of 66, the stand with Sachin Tendulkar was still his best moment in international cricket. The dream was finally coming true for Rohit, but disaster struck.
Laxman was declared unfit enough. Rohit was all set to make his Test debut. A small session of football before the game seemed a routine by then. It took a sprained ankle to postpone Rohit’s Test career by three years. He was picked for the 2008 tour to Sri Lanka but was overlooked for the Tests. He was touted to replace Yuvraj Singh in 2011 but was ignored again. He still has a First-Class average of 55, which was the reason they could not ignore him; a chance was around the corner. When it came, it was Tendulkar himself who gave him his Test cap.
It was not that his ODI career was blossoming till then. Barring the two tons in the triangular series involving Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, he had done little to warrant place in the side. But there was never a murmur about him getting dropped. Seniors like Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni kept backing him, saying he was the best player and was hitting the ball in the nets. All that changed in 2013.
Rohit was asked to open in Champions Trophy 2013. This time he, for once, had a consistent run. There was no deluge of runs, but he was consistent. His highest score that tournament was 65, but he was instrumental in seeing out the new ball under testing conditions. Things got better for him later that year. Read: Rohit Sharma: The often forgotten story of the batsman’s rise
November 6, 2013: The day ‘Talent met opportunity’ at last in whites. It was again the first Test of the series, this time against West Indies. India had lost Tendulkar, the same man who had given him the Test cap at amidst deafening applause at Eden Gardens.
The move up the order worked wonders for Rohit. He played a crucial role in India’s Champions Trophy 2013 win. But this was what would have been of utmost importance for him, a Test debut at last. India were tottering at 82 for 4 when he came out to bat. He took control and showed the world why he was backed by all and sundry. The temperamentally brilliant, stroke-filled 177 to take India to a score in excess of 450 showed he had arrived. Everything seemed right as Rohit backed up his first Test ton with another one in the second Test against West Indies, an unbeaten 111 at Wankhede to help India complete a 2-0 and give Tendulkar a farewell he wanted.
India had already got the perfect replacement for the No. 4 in Tests. Virat Kohli was expected to move up to No. 5 and Rohit at No. 5 before eventually moving up. But what followed was something was the usual Rohitesque year-and-half: odd glimpses of greatness followed by periods of mediocre performances. Plenty of starts, plenty of promise but very few runs.
His next Test was on a tour to South Africa, India were sitting pretty 112 for 2 when Cheteshwar Pujara departed for a gritty 25. Rohit had Kohli at the other end going great guns. Rohit was out chasing a wide one: the same old lazy footwork with which he got away in the other two formats could not save him here.
He was forgiven, for it was just his first knock away. He was bowled in the second innings to one that kept very low, a score of 6 to back up his 14 in the first innings. But the horror was not over yet. In the second Test at Kingsmead, Murali Vijay and Pujara had steadied India batting first, Dale Steyn was all pumped up and had Vijay caught down the leg side for well-made, hard-fought 97. Out came Rohit. India were 199 for 3. Rohit had to make up for his failures in the first Test. Read: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma approach BCCI to persuade ICC to allow coloured clothing in Tests
What followed was what still infuriates Indian cricket fans. Steyn bowled a length ball that was on the stumps. For some reason Rohit left it, only to hear the death rattle. He was gone first ball, playing a stroke that was not justified by any logic or imagination. It is something that has not deserted Rohit — the wrong shot at the wrong time to the wrong ball.
His first score of contribution came in the series against New Zealand when he scored 72. The soft dismissals, however, continued — and frustrated his fans more than anything else. However, he was still forgiven till that dismissal at Rose Bowl. India were in spot of bother on Day Two, replying to England’s 569. They were trying to get through to tea when Rohit was at it again: England were giving their pace bowlers a breather; tea was five minutes away; but Rohit had something else in mind. He came down the wicket and lofted one straight to Stuart Broad off Moeen Ali. Why would anyone do that? It was a moment when everyone was now not even surprised by how Rohit threw away his wicket at a crucial stage.
His highest score after the two tons in his first couple of Tests is still 72 from 19 innings. He has scored merely two fifties. Before the tour to Sri Lanka, there were words that Pujara would be back for India. Pujara, prim and proper, old-school follower of the game, had a county stint in between. But again, potential took over runs. Kohli, just like his predecessor MS Dhoni, wanted to back their ‘best player’ Rohit and handed him a chance at No. 3. Read: Virat Kohli’s faith in Rohit Sharma is justified, says Sunil Gavaskar
In the one-off Test against Bangladesh Rohit again had a platform. He had to just get in, but he hardly look in control. The openers had already stitched a mammoth 283-run stand. Rohit came in, took a leg-stump guard to a spinner and was bowled trying to drive the ball through cover. He was nine balls into the innings but wanted to go for the expansive stroke. Batting at No. 3 often demands patience. Rohit, unfortunately, does not seem to be equipped on that grounds.
Against Sri Lanka, in the first Test at Galle, in the first innings he was leg-before twice: the first was not adjudged since it was a no-ball, but he repeated his mistake of not getting into position to counter the minimal swing of Angelo Mathews.
He could have silenced his critics had he given the innings the much-needed push during the chase of 176. He was seen advising Ishant Sharma, who had come out as a night-watchman the previous night. Ironically, Ishant lasted longer at the crease than Rohit: Rohit got off the mark with a fine boundary, but was once again offered a wrong shot. Rohit was bowled all ends up by Rangana Herath: the champion bowler floated it on middle; the ball turned slightly; and Rohit, standing with a leg-stump guard, did not feel the need to cover the line and was bowled comprehensively. Read: Is Rohit Sharma the right choice at No. 3 for India in Test cricket?
With scores of 9 and 4 it is obvious that Rohit has not fulfilled the prospect of him playing that high up the order. Lack of temperament that has cost him in Tests. In this era of high stakes, it seems there is hardly anything at stake for Rohit, but it is probably the time that could define his Test career. He has learnt how to see through spells in ODIs, but it remains to be his weak spot in Tests.
He may continue dominating attacks in coloured clothing, for he already has had a long rope for a batsman with that returns. But it is in Tests that India need his services the most at the moment. He might do well to get back to basics. He needs to settle down, for we all know what a set Rohit can achieve.
India may still play him at No. 3 for the entire Test series. It is the ability to take on any attack and getting the ‘quick score’ once settled that has had people, teammates, coaches, and experts backing him. But all of that has to churn out into runs — the runs Kohli, Sanjay Bangar and Ravi Shastri expect of him, if runs do not come any time soon, the prodigy that he is referred to might turn into a tragedy — for both himself and Indian cricket.
(Nikhil Popat is diehard cricket enthusiast and a PotterHead till the end of time. He can be followed on Twitter @CricCrazyNIKS)