Indian captain Rohit Sharma is facing growing scrutiny following a poor run of form in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). His struggles continued in the 4th Test at the MCG, where he could only manage 3 runs, prompting fresh concerns about his ability to perform in challenging conditions.
Rohit’s Test batting average in these countries has dipped to a concerning 15.55 in his last 10 innings, the lowest by any Indian captain in the past 75 years. This alarming statistic has sparked questions about his leadership and his performance in these demanding territories.
Throughout his career, Sharma has faced difficulties in SENA conditions, with his inability to convert starts into big scores being a recurring issue. Despite moments of brilliance, his overall record in these countries remains a significant blemish on an otherwise successful career.
His disappointing run in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy only adds to the concern, with scores of 3, 10, 3, and 6 in his last four innings. Though he initially started in the middle order to accommodate KL Rahul, his recent promotion to opener in the MCG Test was met with disappointment from fans.
Rohit’s innings ended abruptly in the second over when he attempted to pull a short delivery from Scott Boland, which moved slightly away. Struggling with the bounce, he top-edged the shot, and the ball was caught by Boland at mid-on, ending his brief stay at the crease.
On Day 2 of the match, India struggled with the bat. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s dismissal triggered a collapse, and despite Virat Kohli’s long stay at the crease, he was dismissed for 36 runs. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja managed to stabilize the innings, with India reaching 164-5 by the end of the day.
