T20 World Cup: 'Rohit is making a mistake in playing an overly aggressive game' - Coach Dinesh Lad
Rohit Sharma has struggled to score of late in the T20Is despite having an aggressive approach. However, his coach Dinesh Lad feels that the Indian skipper is making a mistake by being aggressive early.
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FollowIndian skipper Rohit Sharma's coach Dinesh Lad is not impressed with how he has been dismissed lately, saying that he must resort to playing the anchor's role instead of a "high-risk" game. Lad wants his pupil to spend more time on the wicket. The Indian skipper fell for four runs versus arch-rival Pakistan on Sunday, scoring just 14 versus Australia in a warm-up tie in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup.
"Yes, he [Rohit] has been playing a high-risk game for quite some time now, which he should not. I have no idea why he is doing that. I think he is making a mistake in playing an overly aggressive game," Lad told PTI during an interaction on Wednesday.
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"I feel he should spend more time on the crease and not throw his wicket away. I don't want him to take chances in the first six overs of the powerplay. He should play his normal and natural game. He should try to play 17-18 overs and score around 70-80 runs in every match he plays," added Lad.
The coach also stated that he wants to see a change in Rohit's approach to Twenty20 (T20) cricket, especially in the enduring showpiece. "As his coach, I want to see him as an anchor, not as a destroyer who plays high-risk games. If he stays on the wicket for some time, he will play long and valuable innings," he stated.
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"He plays too much in the air, maybe because sometimes it is needed in T20 cricket. But he should go with controlled aggression. If he cuts down the risky shots, he will do well in every match," continued Lad. Recalling his last dialogue with Rohit, Lad enunciated: "The last time I spoke to him was before he went to the World Cup. We only talked a little about the technique as he has played so much cricket for India."
"I advised him to stay on the crease and play sensibly. I always want him to lead from the front and contribute to India's victory. But he needs to get the time, as he is throwing his wickets away. Sometimes he gets out cheaply playing rash shots, and he has to face criticism for that," recalled Lad.
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Lad voiced trust that Rohit will come back firmly in the forthcoming games. "I am sure Rohit will come back very strongly. He must show some patience. He should spend more time on the crease. The wickets in Australia are ideally suited for his kind of game. He is a stroke player, and the ball nicely comes into the bat," he noted.
"In T20 cricket, it's difficult to talk about technique much. He should enjoy the game more and do well for the country as a player and captain. I am pleased and proud that my ward Rohit Sharma is leading India in the T20 World Cup. Just like India won the World Cup on his debut World Cup in 2007, I would like to see him lift the World Cup on his debut as captain," asserted Lad.
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On Virat Kohli's sensational match-winning knock versus Pakistan, Lad spoke: "Virat Kohli played the best T20 innings I have ever seen. The best part was that he was always in control. He never played a false or wrong shot. In T20 cricket, there is a lot of improvisation, reverse sweeps, scoops, etc., but Virat did not play any such shot. He played proper cricketing shots. It had to be his best innings given the magnitude and the pressure situation India was in."
Lad also declared that Rohit must attempt to acclimate and play as Kohli did during his great knock against a fatal Pakistan attack. "I feel that Rohit will start playing like a match-winner again. We are about to see the best of Rohit once again, like the 2019 World Cup in England," he explained.
"He [Rohit] has won five IPL titles. He is an involved captain. He has self-belief. He knows how to take the best out of each player and utilize the best out of them. Our chances of lifting the World Cup have increased as the momentum is with us. After their thrilling victory over Pakistan on Sunday, momentum is in India's favour," concluded Lad.
(With inputs from PTI)
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