- Rohit Sharma’s struggles at the crease continue
- Indian skipper’s place in the side is under threat
- Ponting has questioned his mental toughness
Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting believes embattled Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is on borrowed time after his ‘lazy’ dismissal in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
Sharma, 37, returned to his favoured position of opener in the first innings but fell for just three as he spooned Pat Cummins to wide mid-on to continue a dire run of form at Test level.
At his best an authoritative figure at the crease who pulls with intent, Rohit prodded at the back of a length delivery from Cummins after shaping to play his signature shot.
The dismissal, labelled ‘lazy’ by Ponting, comes as the hosts assumed control in the field as they look to take a 2-1 series lead.
Ponting felt Rohit’s false shot suggested he wasn’t mentally prepared for the heat of battle in his return to the top of the order after previously batting at six in Brisbane and Adelaide.
‘That is just a lazy, not switched on, not up for the moment type of shot,’ a savage Ponting said in commentary for Channel 7.
Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting believes struggling Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is on borrowed time after his ‘lazy’ dismissal in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne
Sharma, 37, returned to his favoured position of opener in the first innings but fell for just three as he spooned a Pat Cummins delivery to mid-on to continue a dire run of form at Test level
Sharma has scored just 155 runs at 11.07 in his last 14 Test innings (pictured, after his MCG dismissal)
‘He has been known as one of the best hookers and pullers of the ball since he made his debut, but that is just not there, it is nothing.
‘It is not committed. It is not looking to be aggressive. He is just looking to tap it on the head.
‘It might have held in the wicket, yes, might have seamed away from him a fraction, but if you are going to survive against this Australian attack you have to be switched on and making good decisions.
‘If you are not, they will knock you over every time.’
Next week’s fifth Test in Sydney will be the last time the Indian side plays Test cricket until a five-match tour of England beginning in June, with the futures of Rohit and fellow veteran Virat Kohli on shaky ground.
Rohit, who now has just 155 runs at 11.07 in his last 14 Test innings, missed the Perth Test to be at the birth of his second child, with paceman Jasprit Bumrah taking the reins.
The standout for both sides of the series went onto engineer a comprehensive and energetic victory for the tourists.
Bumrah would be the leading candidate to replace Sharma should he or the BCCI decide to end his tenure before the England series.
