'It’s got to be him the batter first...' - Sanjay Manjrekar advices Rohit Sharma ahead of 3rd Test match against England

Sanjay Majrekar, the former India cricketer, feels captain Rohit Sharma is focusing more on his captaincy than batting. Given the batting scenario in the last two matches, Rohit has failed miserably. Thus, the cricketer-turned-commentator wants Rohit to return his focus on batting again rather than putting all the attention on captaincy. 

While talking to ESPNCricinfo, Majrekar said,"I just wonder whether Rohit Sharma is getting too caught up in trying to make an impact as a leader. It’s got to be Rohit Sharma the batter first and then the captain because when you’re captain, most things are beyond your control. Try and do the right things and hold the words of MS Dhoni. You do the process and wait for things to happen, but batting is something that’s within his control very much."

The batter is having a tough time on the field. In both the series against South Africa and England, he has scored five, 0, 39, 16*, 24, 39, 14, and 13, respectively. As the series proceeds, Virat Kohli's presence is a big question mark until the squad is declared. Thus, Rohit will have to step up and play a solid knock whenever the team needs him. 

'He’s got to go back to where he looked like a batter who looked supreme in Test matches' - Sanjay Manjrekar on Rohit Sharma

While talking to ESPNCricinfo, Sanjay Manjrekar made it clear that he wants Rohit Sharma to bat the way he batted back in 2021 against England or the home series against Australia. As India needs the opener to fire up and score some runs, captain Sharma has to get back to his form to support the Indian top order. Moreover, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the three Test matches turn out to be in the upcoming days.  

"If Rohit Sharma becomes the Rohit Sharma for a couple of years back, especially the one that we saw in England in that full series would be great. The Rohit Sharma that we saw in the first Test match in the home series against Australia. He’s got to go back to where he looked like a batter who looked supreme in Test matches. We want Rohit Sharma getting runs."