Rohit Sharma’s weakness against left-handers is a thing of the past: Sanjay Manjrekar
"Shaheen Afridi was supposed to be the danger man against Rohit Sharma. That was a Rohit who used to plant his front foot across the line. Not anymore," Manjrekar said.
Former India international Sanjay Manjrekar believes that star batter Rohit Sharma has evolved as a cricketer in the recent past and doesn’t struggle against left-hand pacers, which was often the case a few years ago. Mitchell Starc and Shaheen Shah Afridi bothered Rohit with their pace in the past, but Manjrekar pointed out that the opener has dealt with them in the recently concluded ODI World Cup and mentioned that his weakness against left-handers is a thing of the past.
The 58-year-old added that Rohit has changed his stance and doesn't plant his front foot across the line anymore. Analysing that, Manjrekar mentioned that the cricketer has now become a good Test player. However, Rohit’s biggest test will be in the upcoming two-match series in South Africa, where team India has never won a Test series.
“The weakness you are talking about, the weakness against left-handers, is a thing of the past. Not anymore. In the last two or three years, he hasn't had any problems. Mitchell Starc in the home series. He was comfortable against Australia with the new ball. Shaheen Afridi was supposed to be the danger man against Rohit Sharma. That was a Rohit who used to plant his front foot across the line. Not anymore. I think he has become a good Test player,” Manjrekar said while speaking on Star Sports.
The occupation of the crease is giving him a high now in Tests: Manjrekar
Unlike white-ball cricket, Rohit Sharma’s goal is to spend more time in the crease in Test cricket. It has given him results in England, where the 36-year-old finished as the leading run-scorer for India. Manjrekar expects him to repeat the same in South Africa and play against his nature.
“When he gets runs at the Test level these days, it's just occupation of the crease, which is an incredible memory that I have of him from England. When he came to the fore as a Test opener, he got a hundred there and ended up as the highest run-getter in that series. The number of hours he batted there in that series. The occupation of the crease is giving him a high now in Tests. It's exactly the opposite role he played in the World Cup,” Manjrekar added.
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