Former Australia skipper Matthew Hayden has called on India captain Rohit Sharma to bat with energy and aggression as he takes the crease on Day 4 of the Brisbane Test. India faced a precarious situation after a dismal top-order collapse on Day 3, with Rohit and KL Rahul tasked with salvaging a comeback for the visitors.
After allowing Australia to pile up a daunting first-innings total of 445, India’s batting lineup crumbled to Australia’s pace attack. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant all departed cheaply, leaving the team teetering. Speaking to Star Sports, Hayden expressed his desire to see a more energetic Rohit Sharma at the crease, a trait he feels has been absent in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy.
AUS vs IND 3rd Test, Day 3: Highlights | Scorecard
“When I think of Rohit Sharma, I think of a free-scoring batsman. You look at those double hundreds in one day cricket, his magnificence in the short formats…” Hayden said.
“For purely Rohit Sharma’s sake, he needs to have a great intent and energy about him. When I think back to Adelaide’s first game here in a long time, he was just a little sluggish. I’d be saying to him as his partner, ‘I don’t really want to see you defend the ball here’. I want him to be really reactive to the ball, really up for the fight, because his natural game will flow. Energy and intent will take that front foot a lot further towards the ball. Rohit, what I want you to do, my brother, is play with great energy and intent, and I’d have those as two maybe trigger words for him to think about in his preparation,” he added.
Hayden highlighted that a long partnership between Rohit and KL Rahul is crucial for India to build a foundation and mount any sort of recovery. Rohit, however, faces mounting pressure not only for his underwhelming batting performances but also for his controversial decision to bowl first after winning the toss in Brisbane.
Rohit Sharma’s worrisome Test form
Rohit’s form has been a significant concern throughout this series. After joining the Indian side in the Adelaide Test, he scored just nine runs in that match. Even during India’s 3-0 Test series whitewash at home against New Zealand before the Australia tour, the skipper managed a mere 91 runs across three matches, raising questions about his rhythm and consistency.
Despite the heavy criticism, Hayden believes this is an opportunity for Rohit to silence his critics and prove his mettle as both a captain and a batter. A strong and aggressive performance could turn the tide for India and lift the spirits of their fans.
With rain forcing an early stump on Day 3, Rohit and KL Rahul now have additional time to reassess their approach. Indian cricket fans, hoping for a turnaround, will look to their captain for a defining stand when play resumes on Day 4. The stakes couldn’t be higher for Rohit Sharma to lead from the front and deliver a performance to remember.
