Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has advised Rohit Sharma to focus on batting for longer periods instead of solely trying to give the team a fast start. This advice comes after India’s victory against Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal, where head coach Gautam Gambhir supported Rohit’s strategy. Gambhir argued that Rohit’s performance should be evaluated based on his ‘impact,’ not just his statistics.
However, Gavaskar disagreed with this perspective. He stated that if a player of Rohit’s caliber stays at the wicket for 25-30 overs, he can dominate the game and take it away from the opposition. Gavaskar believes this aspect should be a key part of Rohit’s game plan.
Gavaskar mentioned that Rohit has been following this aggressive approach for about two years, starting around the World Cup in India. While it has brought some success, Gavaskar feels it hasn’t fully utilized Rohit’s immense talent. He acknowledged Rohit’s exceptional talent and wide range of shots.
Gavaskar emphasized that even if Rohit bats for 25 overs, India is likely to reach a score of 180-200. If they have only lost a couple of wickets by then, they could potentially score 350 or more.
Gavaskar further argued that Rohit should not be satisfied with scoring just 25-30 runs, and his contribution to the team should be much more significant. He believes that a match-winning impact comes from batting for longer durations.
Gavaskar concluded by saying that while aggressive play is good, Rohit needs to exercise some discretion and aim to bat for 25-30 overs. This would allow him to have a greater impact and truly dominate the opposition, rather than being content with quick, small scores.
