IND vs ENG: Did Rohit Sharma commit a big mistake in changing his batting approach in Vizag Test?

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had a dismal day at the office in the first innings of the second Test in Vizag on February 2 (Friday) as he floundered against spin in the morning session. He was absolutely gutted with himself for his mode of dismissal, as his misjudgement saw him dig his own grave.

The senior pro fell prey to England Test debutant, Shoaib Bashir’s delivery in the 18th over and the off-break bowler couldn’t be any happier upon opening his account in the red-ball cricket. The 20-year-old pitched the ball outside off, which in turn, spun swiftly.

In response, the skipper made up his mind to hit the ball away but was taken aback by the quick off-spinner. As it turned out, his shot selection blighted his slow-paced innings, where he ended up edging the red cherry towards the backward square leg. Ollie Pope, who was stationed at that position, took a sharp catch in his safe pair of hands.

The 36-year-old, who has scored 3 centuries in the last four innings in Vizag, a venue where he relished scoring runs, failed to bring the best out of himself in a game where India aim to level up after losing the Test opener. He made his way back to the dressing room after scoring just 14 runs.

The fact that he played out 41 deliveries and scored no boundary, with a strike rate of 34.15, is not something that Rohit Sharma intended to and perhaps, his slow-paced innings is not the right answer to negate the opposition’s bowling attack.

The Nagpur-born might have given it a thought about incorporating slow-paced innings followed by aggressive batting but that wasn’t meant to be the case. That being the case, the senior player should stick to his distinctive approach, which is playing the game with intent, showcasing the technique and temperament when it matters for the game's challenges.