File photo of Rohit Sharma© AFP
In the two matches of the Asia Cup 2022 so far, Rohit Sharma has not been able to strike his old form. He scored 12 off 18 balls against Pakistan and then hit 21 off 13 balls against Hong Kong. Rohit is not just the skipper of the side but is also the team’s No. 1 opener. However, he did not have a good IPL and his recent T20I form has not been too great. If the trend continues, it is bound to add pressure on the team. In this regard, former Pakistan cricket team captain Mohammad Hafeez made some strong observations regarding Rohit’s captaincy after India’s 40-run win over Hong Kong on Wednesday.
In a discussion on PTV Sports, Hafeez first asked to play a video clip of Rohit leaving the field post the win over Hong Kong, and then said this: “You see Rohit Sharma’s expression after winning the match. This expression happened after India won by 40 runs. I had talked about Rohit Sharma’s body language, when he came out to toss, he looked weak, he seemed afraid, and confused. I am not being able to see Rohit Sharma, whom I have observed during matches playing incredible innings. I think captaincy is putting a lot of pressure on Rohit. He is facing a lot of difficulties.
“His form is in the decline. He had a poor IPL, after that his flow is missing. Plus the pressure of India. He is talking about a lot of things like the brand of cricket, playing positively, this and that but not reflecting by his own body language. It’s easy to talk, but to do it is difficult. It’s not my prediction, but my opinion is that going forward, it will be difficult for him to continue leading. He might not be able to lead for a long time. I have always seen Rohit enjoying and expressing himself. Now, he is not expressing himself. Maybe he is lost in too many things. I feel sorry for him. I feel either he himself or the Indian think tank will decide on the matter.”
India next plays on Sunday in the Super 4 against the winner of the match between Pakistan and Hong Kong.
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