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Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar questioned captain Rohit Sharma’s tactics during Day 2 of the ongoing third Test against England in Rajkot. Manjrekar was unhappy with Rohit’s use of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja as fourth and fifth choice during England’s first innings on Friday. Taking advantage of Ben Duckett’s quick knock, England got off to a passionate start in response to India’s 445 in the first innings. Rohit introduced Ashwin in the 12th over after Duckett completed his half-century in 39 balls.
Ashwin struck in his second over, dismissing Zak Crawley for 15. However, he failed to trouble the already well-prepared Duckett. After the problems on Day 2, Ashwin said he would have liked to play Duckett when he wasn’t ready.
Duckett took the game to Kuldeep Yadav, sweeping and reverse sweeping the spinner all over the ground.
Manjrekar questioned Rohit for bowling Kuldeep ahead of Ashwin, calling it “an error of judgment” on the part of the Indian captain.
“I didn’t understand that move. I thought it was a mistake. A tactical mistake. Ashwin bowled the first ball when the score was 72 and that’s a lot. Among Indian spinners, including Axar Patel, I think Ashiwn is the only one. “Someone who He began to find a way to counter this new English approach to bowling. He would have been my first choice. I couldn’t understand Kuldeep Yadav reaching that stage. There was also quite a bit of pace in the bowling when you could see that the fast bowlers were not making any impression at all,” Manjrekar said in ESPNcricinfo.
Manjrekar added that Rohit has to be careful with England’s brand of attacking cricket.
“These are the things Rohit Sharma has to be careful about. He has to deal with this opposition, which is very dangerous, ruthless. Ashwin, coming after 72 runs on the board, can come back to haunt him and maybe Jadeja too, that came.” “I bowled when there were 100 runs on the board. He invested too much in pace. He has to be careful,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ashwin withdrew from the Indian team on Friday and flew to Chennai to be with his ailing mother.
Ashwin’s absence has left the Indian team with 10 players, including just four regular bowlers.
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