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Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar praised Rohit Sharma for openly admitting his struggles with the bat during a candid interview during the fifth and final Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney.
Rohit Sharma had opted out of the New Year Test against Australia at the SCG because he was out of form, and the Indian skipper’s honesty about his poor form with the bat was praised by Sanjay Manjrekar.
Sanjay Manjrekar praises Rohit Sharma’s honesty but questions timing of Sydney interview
However, Manjrekar also raised questions about whether there was another reason behind Rohit’s decision to speak to broadcasters midway through such a crucial SCG Test. The Indian skipper’s interview on Day 2 of the Sydney Test left many surprised, especially as he was not part of the 15-member squad for the match against Australia.
During the interview, the Indian captain addressed rumors surrounding his future in Test cricket and denied claims that he had been dropped for the final Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Well, Sanjay Manjrekar acknowledged Rohit’s transparency but pointed out that Gautam Gambhir was another reason behind his decision to give an interview during the Sydney Test.
The cricket pundit hinted that Rohit might have wanted to clear the air and set the record straight, especially as Gautam Gambhir had been taking credit for the decision to leave him out of the playing eleven.
Gautam Gambhir was getting all the credit, so Rohit Sharma decided to set the record straight: Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar while talking to Star Sports said, “But there was also another reason why I was doing this interview. To clear the air. Somewhere I think Gambhir was getting all the credit for a brave call by leaving out a Rohit Sharma. I wanted to set the record straight.”
Meanwhile, Sanjay Manjrekar slammed Rohit Sharma’s comments about his future in the Indian Test team. The commentator has said that the withdrawal is a personal decision, but stressed that decisions regarding a player’s place in the squad and playing in the eleven will be made by the national coaches. He pointed out that the president of the selectors must determine the player’s future.
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Manjrekar further elaborated on his point of view: “I loved this interview. That first moment where he said he couldn’t have another out-of-form batsman in the XI, and that’s why he opted for it. But there was also other emotions. One thing many players say is ‘I’ll decide my future.’ I have a problem with that. You can decide your future in terms of retirement, but someone else’s job is to decide your future player and captain This is the chairman of the selectors.”
The cricket expert signed off by saying, “You have to respect the hierarchy, no matter how big you are. If the chairman of selectors is strong and believes in the long-term health of Indian cricket, he has the power to decide whether your career is ‘it has to end now, if you get a few more matches or one more series. Retirement is within your reach, but playing for India is not.’
