IND vs PAK: "Rohit Sharma's Defense Has Gotten Better, Natural Big-Hitting Ability Is Still There": Sanjay Manjrekar

Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar was impressed by Rohit Sharma’s knock against Pakistan on Sunday, September 10. Rohit scored 56 off 49 balls and added a 121-run opening stand with Shubman Gill (58) after Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. The match will continue on the reserve day (September 11) after rain played spoilsport on Sunday.

Rohit started watchfully and then started getting into his groove. He hit his first six off Shaheen Shah Afridi giving a glimpse of his intent. He was severe on Shadad Khan hitting him for two sixes and a four before he was eventually dismissed by the leg spinner.

The Indian skipper was looking good till the time he was dismissed. Rohit who scored five centuries in the 2019 World Cup spoke about his desire to return to that mindset as an opener and play long innings. Since the last World Cup, Rohit has scored just three ODI hundreds. He has also scored eight fifty-plus scores but could not convert them into three-figure scores.

Sanjay Manjrekar impressed by his knock against Pakistan said that Rohit’s defense has improved and that he is a better Test player than he was in 2019.

“He got five centuries in the last World Cup, right? My assessment of Rohit Sharma is that his defence has actually gotten much better. He is a much better Test player now than he was in 2019. So, I have no issues,” Manjrekar said while talking to Star Sports during the rain-forced break.

Also Read: IND vs PAK: Rohit Sharma Equals Shahid Afridi’s Record For Most Sixes In Asia Cup History

Not Surprised With Rohit Sharma’s Defense: Sanjay Manjraker

Rohit hit six fours and four sixes in his innings and Manjrekar said that for him it was all about converting his starts into three-figure scores.

“I was absolutely not surprised with the defense he showed today against Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi. It’s about converting those starts into big hundreds because that involves running a lot of 1s and 2s later on in the innings,” said Manjrekar.

He concluded by saying that Rohit Sharma’s natural big-hitting ability is still there and whether he is able to replicate his 2019 World Cup form is something that only time can tell. India will begin their World Cup campaign under Rohit’s leadership against Australia on October 8 in Chennai.

“Only time will tell whether he would be able to replicate that. But, on the pure quality of defence, Rohit is better today. That natural ability to hit the big shots is still there. The question is whether he can bring that all together to hit 5 hundred, 4 hundred, or 3. That time will tell,” he concluded.

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