Tue Dec 31 08:15:38 UTC 2024: ## Rohit Sharma’s Poor Form Raises Questions About His Place in Playing XI
**Melbourne, Australia:** Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s continued struggles with the bat have sparked debate about his position in the playing XI. His low scores of 3 and 9 in the Boxing Day Test against Australia have fueled criticism, with former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan stating that Sharma wouldn’t merit a place in the team based solely on his current form.
Pathan acknowledged that Sharma’s absence would likely open opportunities for other openers like KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill. However, he also highlighted Sharma’s captaincy role as the reason for his continued inclusion. Pathan expressed disappointment with Sharma’s batting performance, describing it as “discouraging.” While acknowledging the need for Sharma’s leadership to potentially salvage the series, Pathan’s comments reflect growing concerns regarding the captain’s poor run of form, which predates the current Australian tour. The article also mentions other comments Pathan made regarding Yashasvi Jaiswal’s run out and criticism levelled at the Australian media for calling Virat Kohli a “joker.”
First Piper 