England series ‘make or break’ for Rohit Sharma in Test cricket: Sanjay Manjrekar

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said that the upcoming series against England is ‘make or break’ for Rohit Sharma in the purest format. The Nagpur-born Rohit made his Test debut against the West Indies back in 2013 and averages 46.18 with seven centuries and 12 half-centuries.

However, it’s his performance in overseas conditions that has raised quite a few eyebrows. While at home, Rohit averages nearly 80, the numbers drop down to the 20s abroad. Recently, he also flattered to deceive in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand at the Rose Bowl.

Manjrekar was clear cut in saying that if the 34-year-old can’t perform in the five-match series then India should look for his alternative in whites. Manjrekar put forth his opinions in his column for the Hindustan Times.

Sanjay Manjrekar opines

“This is a make-or-break series for the Test batter in (Rohit) Sharma, because there is no point in having a batter with over 40 Tests under his belt, aged 34, to be in the Test team if he is going to get you big scores only in India,” Manjrekar wrote.

Manjrekar also sounded worried about Ravi Ashwin’s performances in English conditions. Ashwin was the leading wicket-taker in the inaugural WTC With 71 scalps and also scored a century at the Chepauk earlier this year. Nevertheless, Manjrekar felt that Ashwin can be an asset for India due to the England batters’ apparent inability to play spin.

“This is also a big series for Ashwin. He has only 18 wickets in seven matches in England, also, of late he has had injury issues whenever he has been abroad,” Manjrekar wrote.

“I wonder if it’s because he is forced to use his body more to get a bite from pitches that aren’t as responsive as those back home. He hardly misses a Test at home. With the new English batters not so adept at playing spin, India will look on occasion towards Ashwin, now on his third trip to England, to be the match-winner,” he stated

The series is set to get underway on Wednesday, August 4 at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham. Back in 2018, Virat Kohli and Co beat the Three Lions at the same venue in a Test after Hardik Pandya’s match-winning five-wicket haul.