Boria Majumdar
In rather difficult conditions to bat, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both failed to get going in Perth. Shubman Gill too fell early, and there was a top-order collapse. Now, that’s nothing new for Perth. There was steep bounce, and batting was by no means easy. Having said that, while Rohit looked okay, Kohli did look rusty. Even Rohit wasn’t at his best. But then, did anyone expect India – after losing the toss yet again – to waltz through in such conditions when Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were bowling?
Soon after they got out, fans – or rather, trolls – rubbished them both and threw them under the bus. Both should retire, and both are useless – at least, that is what was trending. Frankly, such ‘fandom’ is pathetic to see. They know nothing of the sport, and just talk nonsense. One game can never be an index to judge a player, leave alone these two. Going by that logic, anyone who fails in one innings should be discarded.
The delivery that Rohit got out to could have got anyone. And while this isn’t a defence of anyone, I am tired of hearing that such statement amount to PR for the players. In fact, as Ajit Agarkar – the chairman of selectors – rightly said in the NDTV World Summit, it would be plain silly if they were to be judged basis one series.
Both need game time. I absolutely believe both should have played the India A games, but then, had they done so, there would have been a security issue in Kanpur. What both of them need is to spend time in the middle. Rohit, compared to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, looked better. With more time out there, he should regain his touch.
For the sake of argument, let’s assume both fail in all the games in Australia. What does that mean? Is it enough to discard them and rubbish them? Suryakumar Yadav failed in the Asia Cup. Has he been thrown out of the team? It is this impatience that I am against. This is what is toxic about Indian fandom. Before we even consider discarding Rohit and Kohli, they need to be given a cluster of matches to prove themselves. Say, nine games at least, till the New Zealand series in January. If they don’t perform, that’s when you can start to think beyond them. One game in Australia, and that too in Perth, can never be a marker.
Had Yashasvi Jaiswal played and failed in Perth, we would have said that this is why Rohit and Kohli are needed. Now that both of these legends have failed, we need Jaiswal and Tilak Varma! For us, it is either “GOD” or “DOG”. Either, they are the greatest or they are over the hill. Extreme reactions are the bane of our fandom, and this is what we need to guard against. Like everyone else, they will need time to settle back in, and the management and selectors will surely give them that. As fans, that’s the least you can do. Stay patient. At least, don’t castigate anyone after one game or a three-match series. For then, you know little of this sport, which keeps teaching us all.
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