Melbourne Renegades' $4,20,000 (Rs 2.5 crore approximately) recruit Mohammad Rizwan has had a poor debut Big Bash League (BBL) season. Rizwan hasn't been able to score rapidly. It was the 152nd ball he faced that went over the boundary. But it wasn't enough for Renegades captain Will Sutherland who signalled him to come off the field, making him first overseas batter to be retired out in BBL history. While Rizwan felt visibly frustrated by the decision despite his ODI-like strike rate, Aussie greats weighed in on the tough call by backing the Renegades team management.
“He needs to be more proactive, you put a lot of pressure on other batters when you’re going at a run a ball. A run a ball is just nowhere near good enough, has never been and never will be. If that was a local player, he would not be batting No. 4,” former Australia batter Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket commentary.
Former England pacer Isa Guha wants Rizwan to make changes in his approach.
“Rizwan hasn’t had the best of seasons. He needs to lift in this game,” she said.
Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson, who has been appointed as Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) assistant coach, feels that he call may bruise Rizwan’s ego. He says that it is the coach’s job to deal with the player after an incident like that.
“It’s a challenging one as a coach, to work through the potential fallout of retiring someone, the significant hit it could have on their ego and having to manage that,” Watson said.
While Watson resorted to constructive criticism, former Pakistan coach Jason Gillespie backed Renegades by posting on X: "100% right decision".
Renegades lose to Thunder, playoffs chances bleak
On January 12, Rizwan scored 26 runs from 23 balls before he was called off the pitch. Eventually, in the rain interrupted game, Sydney Thunder won by four wickets, courtesy unbeaten cameos from Nic Maddinson (17-ball 30) and Chris Green (13-ball 34).
After their fifth loss from eight games, Renegades sit at seventh place. Even if they win their remaining two games, they may not be able to make it to the playoffs.