‘Has to come out of T20 thinking’ – Sanjay Manjrekar warns Rohit Sharma after Pune defeat

Rohit Sharma and Sanjay Manjrekar. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

Rohit Sharma-led India has been receiving considerable criticism after losing the first two games of the three-match Test series against New Zealand. The Kiwis won the first Test in Bengaluru by eight wickets and the second in Pune by 113 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.

During the series, some of India’s decisions have been questionable, starting with them opting to bat first in overcast conditions and on a damp surface in Bengaluru. The Indian batters were all at sea against the Kiwi seamers and the hosts eventually capitulated for 46, the lowest team total in Tests in Asia. Another decision which is being scrutinized is the preparation of a spin-bowling track in the second Test as it came back to haunt India.

Also Read: Shubman Gill clearly does not have the feel for spinners: Sanjay Manjrekar

However, Sanjay Manjrekar has highlighted another move, this time in the batting order, which didn’t help India’s cause. In the fourth innings of the second Test, India promoted Washington Sundar above Sarfaraz Khan after the fall of Rishabh Pant’s wicket to persist with a left-hand-right hand combination, with Virat Kohli already in the middle.

The former India cricketer called the move “bizarre” and said that the India captain should come out of the T20 mindset of having such match-ups.

“The move to have Sarfaraz Khan bat down the order and send Washington Sundar above him because he is a left-hander, that kind of thing shouldn’t happen. It’s just bizarre. That’s one thing that Rohit Sharma needs to be careful of…the T20 thinking of matchups left hand-right hand combinations. I think he should just go by the overall quality and ability of players,” Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo.

Washington and Sarfaraz scored 21 and nine, respectively, as India were bowled out for 245 in their pursuit of a 359-run target.

Mitchell Santner runs through the Indian batting line-up

India struggled against Mitchell Santner’s accurate bowling and clever speed changes. The left-arm spinner used the conditions to his advantage and caused all sorts of problems to the famed Indian batting line-up.

Also Read: India will have to get their act together if they want to play WTC Final: Anil Kumble

In the first innings, Santner took seven wickets in the first innings and six in the second to torment the Indian batters. He had never picked up more than three wickets in a single innings in Test cricket or six in a match. However, he produced his best bowling performance in red-ball cricket to orchestrate a very significant with for the Kiwis.

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