'Was out of form last year as well': Former cricketer drops massive statement on Rohit Sharma ahead of WTC final

On June 7th, Team India will make their return to action as they take on Australia in the final of the World Test Championship. Led by Rohit Sharma, the team is determined to overcome the disappointment of 2021, when they suffered a loss to New Zealand in the inaugural edition of the WTC under the captaincy of Virat Kohli. However, this year, the team faces another major concern as they head into the final - the form of their skipper, Rohit.

It is no secret that Rohit Sharma has been struggling with his form lately, and this has raised concerns among fans and experts alike. As the captain of the team, Rohit's performance will be crucial in determining the outcome of the final. The pressure is on him to lead by example and inspire his team to victory.

The 2023 Indian Premier League campaign has been a letdown for the 36-year-old star opener, Rohit Sharma. Despite leading the Mumbai Indians into the playoffs, his performances with the bat have been lackluster. In 16 matches, Rohit only managed to score 332 runs at an average of 20.75 and a strike rate of 132.80.

Despite this, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes that the team management should not be overly concerned about Rohit's form. He insists that the opener finds comfort in Test cricket.

“Keep his IPL form aside because he looked out of form in the last IPL as well… we saw the amazing batting he did in the first Test match against Australia. I believe the stage of his career Rohit Sharma is in, Test cricket seems to be the most exciting format for him just like it has always been for Virat Kohli,” Manjrekar told Star Sports.

“His batting has become almost faultless in Test cricket at the moment. There is just one problem we have seen in Test matches - he gets out while playing the pull shot at times. They have bowled him a short ball and kept a fielder there. That is an instinctive shot.”

Manjrekar proceeded to elaborate on Rohit's technique for executing a powerful pull shot.

"In ODI cricket, Rohit's pull shot is truly captivating. Unlike other players, his back lift doesn't originate from the top, allowing him to play the ball downwards. Instead, he employs a low back lift, swiftly picking up the ball and propelling the bat behind his back during the follow-through to generate immense power," explained Manjrekar.

Despite his lackluster performance in white-ball cricket, Rohit Sharma has shown impressive form in red-ball cricket. He demonstrated his prowess by scoring a magnificent century against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar series in Nagpur.

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