India captain Rohit Sharma finds himself at the center of a heated debate over his batting approach ahead of the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand on Sunday in Dubai. Despite registering an ODI century prior to the tournament, Rohit’s form in the ICC event has raised concerns, with the opener managing just 104 runs across four innings.
*Gautam Gambhir Defends Rohit’s Aggressive Style*
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has come out in defense of Rohit, emphasizing the impact his explosive starts have on the team. Speaking after India’s semi-final victory over Australia, Gambhir dismissed criticism of Rohit’s performance, arguing that numerical records do not capture his value to the team. “It’s the impact he creates with those early aggressive bursts that matters,” Gambhir stated.
*Sunil Gavaskar Calls for a Tactical Shift*
Veteran cricket commentator Sunil Gavaskar, however, voiced a contrasting perspective during an interaction with India Today. Gavaskar urged the 37-year-old to reconsider his approach for what could be his final ODI appearance. He advised Rohit to adopt a more measured batting style and focus on anchoring the innings by batting for at least 25 overs.
Gavaskar suggested that Rohit’s decision to adopt an aggressive template in white-ball cricket—first evident during the 2023 ODI World Cup—has produced mixed results. “While his aggressive mindset has yielded success, it doesn’t quite match the full potential of his extraordinary talent,” Gavaskar remarked. “If he bats for 25 overs, India could score 180-200 runs with only a couple of wickets down, setting a platform for a mammoth total.”
*Impact vs. Longevity: The Debate*
Rohit has, in recent years, redefined his approach in limited-overs cricket, which played a pivotal role in India’s title-winning campaign during the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, Gavaskar believes that batting deep into the innings could amplify Rohit’s contribution and elevate his match-winning potential. “Scoring 25-30 runs is not enough for a batter of his caliber,” Gavaskar remarked, urging Rohit to opt for greater discretion and endurance in his innings.
*Unlikely to Change Course*
Despite Gavaskar’s advice, Rohit is expected to stick to his aggressive template in the final. As India prepares to face New Zealand, all eyes will be on Rohit to see whether he can reclaim his form and deliver a performance befitting his stature in what promises to be an epic showdown for the Champions Trophy title.
