Rohit Should Take Responsibility For Turning Things Around In Red Ball: Ganguly

There’s uncertainty over Rohit Sharma’s future in red-ball cricket. Given how Rohit dropped himself from the Sydney Test against Australia, speculations became rife about whether the Indian skipper would continue to play in the red-ball format. 

However, recent reports have confirmed that Rohit will be in India’s plans for the tour to England. Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly was surprised by Rohit’s form and insisted that he could do far better than what he has done in Tests. Across his last three Test series, Rohit averages 10.50, 15.16 and 6.20.

"What has surprised me is his form in the red ball over the last 4-5 years. A player of his stature and ability can do much better than what he has done,” Sourav Ganguly said during Trailblazers 3.0 by RevSportz. 

While crediting Rohit’s white-ball form, Ganguly insisted that the 37-year-old has to find a way to tackle swing and seam in England after his failure in the last Test series against Australia.

“He must put on his thinking cap because we have 5 Tests against England and that's going to be another hard series. Just like the way it was in Australia. It's going to seam; it's going to swing. India need him to perform in the red ball, but in white ball, he is one of the greatest ever.”

"I'm not surprised that he's taken the side to greater heights in white ball. I don't know whether he's going to continue playing Test cricket but if he is hearing me, he should take the responsibility of turning things around in red-ball,” he added. 

Ganguly, however, made the most surprising comment, stating that India are not good at ‘red-ball’ and that Rohit’s men will have to find a way out of that muddle.

“India are not good at red-ball at the moment and they need to look at it, find a way to play well in England because that's going to be a very important five-Test series. Rohit has to find a way to get this team going,” he added.

India’s next Test assignment is in England, where they will play a five-match Test series, with the first Test in Leeds on June 20 (Friday).