Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar lauded skipper Rohit Sharma for his selfless decision before the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia. Sanjay Manjrekar said that Rohit Sharma voluntarily sacrificed his opening role to KL Rahul and put the team ahead of himself.
Rohit Sharma missed the first Test in Perth due to paternity leave. He decided to bat in the middle order for the second Test to continue with the successful opening pair of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who shared a 201-run stand in the second innings of the series opener at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
This Call Was Very Important – Sanjay Manjrekar
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Sanjay Manjrekar said that KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal showed a lot of promise during the first match. Manjrekar emphasized that it is crucial for Rahul to carry his form forward in the ongoing Test series.
“This call was very important, with the kind of confidence the two openers have. Although this is going to be a different challenge. Now the challenge for KL Rahul is to carry his form. He gave us a lot of promise. Both Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul are looking good. It is almost imperative that KL Rahul carries his form after the last Test,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo.
Rohit Sharma Is a Guy Who Has Won People’s Hearts – Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar said that Rohit Sharma consistently puts the team first. Manjrekar cited Rohit’s performance in the 2023 World Cup as an example of his team-first mentality. He added that Rohit’s leadership style sets him apart from other captains.
“He is a guy who has won people’s hearts by just being a good leader who puts the team first, the way he batted in the 2023 World Cup as well,” Manjrekar added.
“So, this was, we suggested it and we all thought it was possible that this would happen, more so because Rohit Sharma was the captain who would always put the team first and him later. It makes a lot of cricketing sense and again shows how Rohit Sharma is a little different from some of the other captains that we have seen.”
Team India Taking on Australia in Second Test Match in Adelaide
The India national cricket team, under Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy, secured a dominant 295-run victory over Australia in the first Test in Perth. The victory gave India a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The second Test, a pink-ball match, began on Friday, December 6, at the Adelaide Oval.
Veteran Australian pacer Mitchell Starc made a strong impact before tea on day one of the pink-ball Test. He removed Yashasvi Jaiswal for a golden duck and later took two more wickets just before the tea break. KL Rahul (37) and Shubman Gill (31) contributed, while Virat Kohli was out for just seven runs.
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