In 2006, at the Colombo RPS Stadium, a rather slim-looking Under-19 cricketer took a middle-stump guard against England Under-19. In what turned out to be the semi-final of that World Cup, he proceeded to play some delightful lofts and flicks while facing the opposition’s medium pacers and spinners. More than anything else, what caught the eye was that the young batter seemed to have a little more time on his hands. As soon as he reached his fifty, he looked heavenwards to celebrate the moment. That batter was none other than the future India skipper, Rohit Sharma.
Many moons have passed since that World Cup. Rohit has gone on to compile game-breaking knocks in senior World Cups and double tons in ODIs. He has also left his imprint in Test cricket, particularly on spin-friendly pitches. The one constant through this entire phase? Rohit always seemed to have a little extra time at the crease.
However, over the last few months, something seems to have changed—the current India skipper is getting rushed by pace. At times, he has tried to premeditate his shots to take the ball early. His rather ungainly pull while facing a short-of-a-length delivery in the MCG Test is one example. The second innings of the 2025 Ranji Trophy game between Mumbai and Jammu and Kashmir further illustrates the point.
In this context, we must also revisit the first ODI against England. This time, Rohit’s mind seemed caught in a dilemma—whether to attack or defend. Ultimately, he did neither, toe-ending a flick, devoid of conviction, straight to the fielder at mid-on. It was a clear indicator of his current mindset, further evident in the pre-match press conference in Nagpur. The India skipper, not usually known for losing his cool, appeared agitated on multiple occasions.
On a positive note, Rohit seemed relaxed and composed ahead of the second ODI in Cuttack—a mental shift that could bode well for his form. But what can he realistically do to counter the inevitable slowing of reflexes? Perhaps he could turn to some of the insightful writings of the late Martin Crowe on technique.
The former New Zealand skipper once offered advice on Sachin Tendulkar’s batting at the fag end of his illustrious career: “He can get up onto his toes more and start to move his back foot fractionally up and down to get it activated. This will help him to start moving both feet when the ball is closing in,” Crowe told Cricinfo.
By incorporating these subtle adjustments, Rohit might be able to play the ball a fraction earlier. It could be a temporary fix, but one worth considering.
At this juncture, another question arises: How could a player in prime form during the 2023 World Cup and in Sri Lanka last year suddenly struggle with timing? At this level, even the slightest dip in reaction time can be decisive. The process of his body slowing down may have started a couple of years ago. For instance, he seemed a touch slower on his horizontal-bat shot while facing South Africa in the 2022 T20 World Cup group game. In simple terms, his reflexes may have diminished bit by bit.
Despite the concerns surrounding Rohit’s lacklustre returns with the bat, there remains a silver lining. Most of his recent failures have come in the longest format. Maybe we need to de-hyphenate his red-ball returns from the white-ball format.
The pitch at the Cuttack stadium is also expected to be flat. England were part of a high-scoring contest here in 2017. Could this be the venue for Rohit to rediscover his touch? A hundred here would serve as a timely reminder of what he does best—letting the sweet sound of bat on ball evoke nostalgia from another time.