Virat Kohli tarnished indirectly as Sunil Gavaskar protects Rohit Sharma from trolls

Indian cricket team fans were left disheartened and sparked a meme-fest on social media after captain Rohit Sharma’s early dismissal during the Super 8 encounter of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024 against Afghanistan at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 20.

The Indian opener was outsmarted by Afghanistan's left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi in the third over of the Indian innings, scoring just 8 runs off 13 balls. This marked the fifth time that Farooqi has dismissed Rohit in the format, highlighting a recurring challenge for the Team India skipper.

Sunil Gavaskar downplays hype over Rohit Sharma's left-arm pacer woes

It was for the third time that Rohit was dismissed by a left-arm pacer in four matches during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, further exposing his vulnerability against the left-arm fast bowlers. Rohit has a history of struggles against the left-arm pacers, with 23 dismissals at an average of 16.69, leading to heavy trolling and criticism on social media platforms.

Amid the uproar on social media platforms, where fans expressed their frustration through a series of memes, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has defended Rohit while highlighting his extensive experience in limited-overs cricket. The former Indian skipper said that Rohit’s numbers and experience should not be overshadowed by a few dismissals.

Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports: “He is an experienced batter. He knows what he has gotta do. You can't really tell Rohit Sharma to change his game because of the angle of the bowler. Yes, sometimes you might say because of the angle - don't hit towards the on side. Maybe look to play the inside-out shot over extra cover. These are things you try and maybe understand. Sitting up there, you think about all of what you should have done.”

Gavaskar suggested that it might be useful to adjust strategies based on the bowler's angle, but there is no point in altering Rohit’s approach against the left-arm pacers.

Rohit Sharma understands their game well: Sunil Gavaskar

The legendary batter acknowledged that getting out is part of the game, and that doesn’t need any significant weakness, especially for a player of Rohit’s caliber, who has amassed tons of runs in his career so far.

He further explained that experienced players like Rohit understand their game well and have their own methods to deal with different challenges. Gavaskar argued that such dismissals do not diminish Rohit's proven track record and expertise.

Instead, he suggested minor tactical adjustments, such as playing more inside-out shots over extra cover, to lessen the risk against left-arm pacers.

Gavaskar signed off by saying, “For a man who has got tons of experience in limited-overs cricket, you don't need to. He has got out, yes. At the end of the day, batters have some way to get out. If you get out caught behind, you can't say you got a weakness against the off stump. If you have scored 10-15,000 runs, and you get out maybe say 40 times outside the off stump, that does not mean there's a weakness.”