4th Test: Ponting Emphasizes Focus After Rohit’s Dismissal
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Melbourne, Dec 27 (NationPress) Former captain of the Australian cricket team, Ricky Ponting, expressed his disapproval of the lackluster shot played by Indian captain Rohit Sharma, which resulted in his dismissal by Pat Cummins on the second day of the Boxing Day Test. Ponting remarked that players must remain focused and make wise choices when up against a strong bowling attack.
Rohit’s decision to open the batting for the first time in this series proved detrimental, as he executed a half-hearted pull off Cummins, leading to an easy catch at mid-on for just three runs in the second over. This dismissal brought Rohit's total runs to 22 in the series, continuing his disappointing form in Tests throughout the year.
“That is just a lazy, not switched on, not up for the moment type of shot. He has been recognized as one of the finest hookers and pullers of the ball since his debut, but that performance was lackluster. It was not committed and showed no intention of aggression; he was merely looking to tap it on the head,”
“It might have held in the wicket and could have seamed away slightly, but to survive against this Australian bowling attack, you must be focused and make sound decisions. If not, they will dismiss you every single time,” Ponting stated on Channel Seven.
Former Australian cricketer Darren Lehmann also criticized Rohit’s shot selection, stating, “If he's going to hit it, hit it, Rohit. You’re a class player, you should actually take that on. There’s plenty of room in the outfield, take it on,” he commented on ABC Sport.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan also condemned Rohit for his careless dismissal, saying, “That’s a really big mistake... it was a nothing shot. He is just hitting it too early in the innings and hasn’t adjusted to the pace and bounce. It’s a sad state for the Indian captain, averaging 11 in his past 14 Test innings.”
