“Tactical Error”: Ex-India Star Questions Rohit Sharma’s Captaincy With “Ravichandran Ashwin” Reference | Cricket News

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has questioned captain Rohit Sharma’s techniques throughout Day 2 of the continued third Test towards England in Rajkot. Manjrekar wasn’t happy with Rohit’s utilization of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja because the fourth and fifth choices throughout England’s first innings on Friday. Riding on Ben Duckett’s quickfire knock, England bought off to a fiery begin in response of India’s 445 within the first innings. Rohit launched Ashwin within the twelfth over after Duckett had accomplished his half-century in 39-balls.

Ashwin struck in his second over, dismissing Zak Crawley for 15. However, he failed to bother Duckett, who was already properly set. After stumps on Day 2, Ashwin mentioned that he would’ve favored to bowl to Duckett when he wasn’t set.

Duckett took the sport to Kuldeep Yadav, sweeping and reverse sweeping the spinner to all elements of the bottom.

Manjrekar questioned Rohit for bowling Kuldeep forward of Ashwin, labelling it “as an error in judgement” from the Indian captain.

“I didn’t understand that move. I thought it was an error. A tactical error. Ashwin bowled the first ball when the score was 72 and that’s a lot. Among the Indian spinners, Axar Patel included, I think Ashiwn is the only one who started to find a way to counter this new English approach of playing spin. He would have been my first-choice spinner. I couldn’t understand Kuldeep Yadav coming in at that stage. There was a fair bit of pace bowling too when you could see that the fast bowlers weren’t really creating any impression at all,” Manjrekar mentioned on ESPNcricinfo.

Manjrekar added that Rohit needs to be cautious of England’s attacking model of cricket.

“These are the things that Rohit Sharma’s got to be careful about. He’s got to treat this opposition, who are very dangerous, ruthless. Ashwin coming after 72 runs on the board, may come back to haunt him and maybe Jadeja as well who came on to bowl when there were 100 runs on the board. He invested in pace a bit too much. He’s got to be careful,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ashwin pulled out of the Indian squad on Friday, flying to Chennai to be along with his ailing mom.

Ashwin’s absence has left the Indian staff with 10 gamers, together with simply 4 common bowlers.