To help him with his footwork, legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has recommended that Indian captain Rohit Sharma perform some exercises before coming to the pitch for batting. As the Indian skipper was removed for just 6 runs on Day 2 of the pink-ball Test, Rohit once again failed to leave his mark with the bat.
Given that he scored nine runs in both innings, Rohit's comeback to the No. 6 spot was nothing but a disastrous failure. The most notable aspect of Rohit's dismissal across both innings was that Pat Cummins caught him in the crease in the second innings and Scott Boland did the same in the first. On Day 2, Mitchell Starc also trapped Rohit in front of the stumps, where his footwork was vulnerable. However, because it was a no-ball, the Indian captain was fortunate to get a respite.
Gavaskar's advice to Rohit
In a conversation with India Today after Day 2 play, Gavaskar said Rohit has to warm up a little to increase circulation in his legs because his feet are not moving as they should. According to the Indian legend, the top batter's foot movement has been slow to start and it gets more pronounced as he gets older.
"I think the feet aren't moving as they should. He needs to do a little bit of exercise before coming to the crease and try to get some circulation going in the legs. He has always been a slow starter as far as feet movement is concerned. It's not just a recent problem. The older you get, the more pronounced it becomes. So, that is something maybe he needs to look to do. When he comes in to bat, maybe run in a little bit, so that the circulation is there. Do some jogging before you take the first ball," said Gavaskar.
At the end of day 2, India is reeling at 128/5 with Rishabh Pant and Nitish Reddy still on the pitch. The pair is India's last hope as they still trail behind by 29 runs. However, momentum shifts quickly when players come to bat again after stumps as seen in McSweeney's dismissal early on Day 2. Things won't be easy for Indian set batters when they take the field again on Day 3.