'Should put it in cold storage till he gets to 80, 90 or 100' - Sunil Gavaskar on Rohit Sharma playing pull shot

India skipper Rohit Sharma loves playing the pull shot and it has been productive for him too more often than not. However, in recent times, the same shot has proved to be his undoing, especially in Tests. The pace bowlers have backed themselves to get the better of him with the short ball.

The same happened in the first innings against Sri Lanka during Mohali Test and former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar feels the India skipper shouldn’t play more such shots early in his innings. Lahiru Kumara’s extra pace led to Rohit’s fall after looking so good for his 29 in the first hour of the game.

Kumara went for a few runs initially but he continued to bounce the 34-year-old who eventually didn’t time the pull shot well only to be holed out in the deep. Gavaskar reckons Rohit Sharma should think twice before playing his favourite shot now with bowlers fancying dismissing him with the short delivery.

“He has got to think about it. You can argue that it is a productive shot but that is not the only shot. He has got so many others. Now every bowler who has a little bit of pace will fancy his chances against him saying, ‘I don’t mind going for a couple of sixes or boundaries but there will be an opportunity because he hits the ball in the air’,” he said while speaking to Star Sports.

He has got to work the percentages out, says Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar also went on to say that Rohit Sharma might have to control himself from playing the shot until he gets set in the middle. On a lot of occasions, the Indian captain has been dismissed playing the pull after starting his innings thereby missing out on scoring big.

“So he has got to work the percentages out. If he still thinks that that the percentages are working in his favour, then go on playing but at the moment, they aren’t working in his favour. So maybe he should put it in cold storage till he gets to 80,90, 100,” Gavaskar added.