Cheteshwar Pujara openly calls Rohit Sharma a captaincy quota merchant

Rohit Sharma's batting struggles continue to dominate headlines, as the Indian skipper was dismissed for just 10 runs in the first innings of the second Test that ended in a draw against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane on Wednesday (December 18).

Rohit’s Gabba failure came after his meager performance in the day-night Test in Adelaide, where he managed only 9 runs, leaving fans and critics questioning his form and place in the Indian cricket team. His slump started during the home series against New Zealand and Bangladesh.

Rohit Sharma's form under fire after another failure at Gabba

The Indian skipper Rohit Sharma amassed a disappointing 42 runs in four innings against Bangladesh and 91 runs in six innings against New Zealand. His troubles continue after joining Team India in Australia after missing the first Test, raising concerns over his ability to lead with the bat under pressure.

Read Also: Rohit Sharma set to follow R Ashwin’s lead and retire soon? India captain reveals

Adding fuel to the fire, the veteran Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara claimed that Rohit Sharma is getting chances in the playing XI only because he is the captain despite such a series of poor batting scores. Pujara highlighted the scrutiny on Rohit’s performances and expressed hope that a turnaround in his form would also enhance his leadership on the field.

Pujara has openly acknowledged the pressure Rohit Sharma is facing at the moment, claiming his captaincy role might be shielding him from the dropping. He also hinted that India is eager for Rohit to rediscover his batting magic, but his prolonged slump has become a big concern for the team.

Rohit is getting chances on captaincy quota, feels Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara said on ESPNCricinfo when asked if Rohit wasn't the captain he wouldn't have gotten these many opportunities: “Yes, we can say this because of the kind of form he is going through. As a captain, Rohit is under pressure. We would all love to see him back in form and scoring runs as soon as possible, and if that happens, his captaincy would also improve.”

It takes guts to answer such questions honestly but it's good to see that there was no hesitation from Cheteshwar when he was asked about if Rohit is playing on captaincy quota pic.twitter.com/9kysmXZ5Ip

— Pallavi (@Pallavi_paul21) December 17, 2024

Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara also predicted that Ravindra Jadeja's impressive performance with the bat at the Gabba could influence the Indian cricket team's plans for the rest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He feels Jadeja’s solid batting has created a positive dilemma for the team management, especially with Nitish Kumar Reddy also showing strong form.

Read Also: "Marwaoge yaar": Rohit Sharma opens doors for Rahane, Pujara’s return after suddenly realizing they aren’t retired

Cheteshwar Pujara hails KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja

Apart from his stunning knock of 77 runs off 123 balls, Ravindra Jadeja added 67 runs with KL Rahul and 53 runs with Nitish Kumar Reddy to help India avoid facing defeat in the third Test at The Gabba. Notably, Jadeja didn’t get the chance in the first two Tests in the ongoing Test series.

Cheteshwar Pujara explained, “The way Ravindra Jadeja batted at the Gabba, it will change the Indian team management’s planning going forward in the series. He batted really well. Jadeja has given a great headache to the team management as Nitish is also batting so well. So, it will be interesting to see how India plans its bowling attack and strategy going forward.”

Pujara signed off by saying on KL Rahul’s innings, “His 84 runs are not less than a century given the conditions and situation. The way KL has been batting in this series is amazing; he might have missed the hundred, but he is batting brilliantly. His contribution in such a situation is equal to a century in Gabba.”