Fri Dec 27 20:55:24 UTC 2024: ## India’s Opening Shuffle Criticized as Rohit Sharma’s Slump Continues

**Melbourne, Australia** – India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, continues to struggle for runs, sparking criticism from former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar. Sharma’s return to the opening position in the Boxing Day Test against Australia, after batting at number six in previous matches, proved unsuccessful, resulting in his dismissal for just three runs off five balls.

Manjrekar slammed the decision to shift Sharma back to the opening slot, arguing it was unfair to KL Rahul, who has consistently performed well at the top of the order. He highlighted Rahul’s strong partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal in earlier Tests as evidence of his ability.

“It’s a reflection of the VIP culture in Indian cricket,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo. “To get a big-name player back on track, we often sacrifice others, ignoring cricketing logic and what’s best for the team. This isn’t the first time this has happened; it’s time India moved away from prioritizing big names.” He used Sachin Tendulkar’s decision to delay retirement as an example of a similar situation.

Manjrekar expressed sympathy for Sharma’s current form, noting his meager 152 runs in his last 14 innings. He analyzed Sharma’s dismissal, attributing it to a misjudgment of the ball’s length and line, resulting in a poorly-executed pull shot. Despite this, Manjrekar maintained that the decision to move Sharma up the order was detrimental to the team’s overall performance.

India’s position remains precarious at 164/5, trailing Australia by 310 runs, further highlighting the impact of Sharma’s continued struggles. The team’s batting woes continue to be a central focus as the Test progresses.

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