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Former head coach Ravi Shastri said Kohli would be very disappointed with his dismissal and explained the flaws in Rohit’s technique this series.
Rohit Sharma has managed 31 runs from 5 innings so far. (AP Photo)
Team India suffered yet another humiliating defeat in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. Chasing 340 on the final day of the Boxing Day Test was never going to be easy for this Indian side when most of the batters were dealing with either a dip in form or a lack of clarity on shot selection. India’s top order, except for one, once again failed to fire with talismanic batters such as Kohli, Rohit and Rahul all being dismissed for dismal scores. It ultimately put the middle-order and the tail under immense pressure, ultimately succumbing to an 184-run loss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan did not shy away from highlighting the repeated failures of Rohit and Kohli in the ongoing tour. After a commendable hundred in Perth, Kohli has continued to shoot himself in the foot with his obsession to poke at deliveries outside the off-stump. On the other hand, Rohit has looked completely out of touch and failed to handle his own temperament while batting.
Speaking on Star Sports, Pathan bluntly said the seniors had not met expectations in the fourth Test in Melbourne.
“Both the seniors (Rohit and Virat) did not meet expectations. They did not meet their own expectations at all,” Pathan noted.
“They are making mistakes. The shot by Virat Kohli – this is neither the first nor the last time. He is not letting go of the temptation to drive outside the off stump. He has been doing this for many years. Everyone is saying the same thing. Virat Kohli also knows this. We all talk about his discipline – why can’t he bring that discipline onto the field,” he added.
Echoing the same emotions, former head coach Ravi Shastri said Kohli would be very disappointed with his dismissal and explained the flaws in Rohit’s technique this series.
“Virat batted well in the first innings. He’ll be disappointed in the way he’s getting out because there’s a similarity with the driving outside the off-stump. He could leave those deliveries,” Shastri said.
“As far as Rohit Sharma goes, at times we’ve seen in the series that his front foot isn’t really moving towards the ball as much as it should. There’s a trigger movement, and then after that, the leg stays planted,” he added.
Now that Australia has taken an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series, India still have a chance to avoid a series defeat when they move to Sydney for the New Year’s Test, starting January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
- Location :
Melbourne, Australia
