Australia have almost put India out of the contest in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with the host crossing the 400-run mark courtesy of Steve Smith’s second consecutive hundred. The visitors have been ordinary on the field, and former India chief selector MSK Prasad blamed captain Rohit Sharma for the team’s below-par performance.
India were clinical in the first Test when Jasprit Bumrah led the team in Rohit’s absence and registered a 295-run win to go 1-0 up. However, the return of Rohit from the second game has put the sub-continent team on the back foot. They haven’t been able to dominate the rivals since then, with the skipper running shot of ideas and has been a walking wicket as a batter.
Mark Nicholas highlighted the issue of India’s captaincy, and Prasad didn’t hesitate in criticizing Rohit. “Captaincy has a direct impact on the performance of the team. Unfortunately, Rohit hasn’t been proactive and is struggling. When Sam Konstas was blazing all guns, he continued with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj for 11 overs instead of turning to someone else.
“His batting has been ordinary since the Test series against New Zealand, and he landed in Australia with no form under his belt. If you look at the last two series we won in Australia, Virat Kohli led from the front on the first occasion. When we were bowled out for 36 in Adelaide in the last series, Ajinkya Rahane revived the team with a brilliant hundred at the Melbourne Cricket Ground,” MSK Prasad said on Star Sports.
Rohit will return to his opening slot after giving up on his position to KL Rahul in the second and third Tests.
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