Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has claimed that Rohit Sharma’s place in the Test XI was only safe because he was captain. Speaking in a recent interview teaser, Pathan acknowledged Rohit’s white-ball brilliance but highlighted his struggles in red-ball cricket last year. Across eight Tests against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia, Rohit managed only 164 runs with a lone fifty.
Record low average in Australia
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Rohit scored just 62 runs in three matches, averaging 6.20 – the lowest for any visiting captain in Australia with a minimum of five innings. Pathan stressed that without the captaincy, such form would have led to him being dropped.
The Sydney Test opt-out
Rohit did not feature in the fifth Test in Sydney. While many assumed he was dropped, Rohit stated in a TV interview that he had voluntarily opted out. Pathan revealed that even though his place was under question, broadcasters like them had to show public support during that appearance.
‘We had to be polite on air’
Pathan explained that they could not criticise Rohit during the broadcast interview. “When someone comes to your channel, you will not misbehave. We were polite because he was our guest. But the truth is, if he was not captain, he wouldn’t have been in the XI,” he said.
Stay tuned for all the latest Cricket news, match highlights, player analysis and viral moments!