Rohit Sharma captaincy is 'pathetic', no direct impact in BGT, says former BCCI chief selector

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Rohit Sharma's ongoing poor form with the bat has become a major point of contention, especially following his recent dismissal for just 3 runs in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

His struggles with the bat continue to raise questions about his leadership, with former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad directly linking his form to his captaincy.

Speaking to the official broadcasters Star Sports during the Australia innings in the Boxing Day Test, Prasad stated, "Yeah, that's a valid point Mark (Nicholas) raised about Rohit Sharma's captaincy. Heading into this series, we had a three-match series against New Zealand, it was pathetic, it had never happened in the history of Indian cricket that we lost back-to-back three games and Rohit was totally sorted out and had got absolutely no runs in the series."

Rohit's poor form during the New Zealand series, where he registered scores of 2, 52, 0, 8, 18, and 11, left the Indian team facing a rare home series whitewash. This led Prasad to assert that the captain's struggles with the bat were undoubtedly influencing his leadership on the field.

"So he comes into this series, he didn't play the first game, Bumrah led the side very well. He comes at the backdrop of continuous failures. I personally feel that has got a direct impact; if a captain comes with some form, it has a direct impact on the side," said Prasad.

Rohit missed the first Test in Perth, where Jasprit Bumrah led India to a commanding 295-run victory. However, upon his return for the Adelaide Test, India lost by 10 wickets, and the Brisbane Test ended in a rain-impacted draw. Prasad emphasized that the lack of form and confidence in Rohit's leadership had led to missed opportunities and uninspiring tactics.

"Rohit has not been proactive on many occasions," Prasad remarked, referencing specific instances in the current Boxing Day Test, where the Indian bowlers, including Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, bowled long spells without sufficient rotation. He noted the lack of urgency in setting up strategies during key moments of the game, particularly when the Australian batsmen were on the attack.

Prasad's comments are a blunt take on an ongoing issue for Rohit Sharma, who, despite being at the helm, is struggling to balance leadership with personal performance. The current series has further raised doubts about his effectiveness as a Test captain, with many questioning if his leadership can withstand the pressure of both personal and team failures.