'You shouldn't be happy with scoring 25-30 runs': Sunil Gavaskar urges Rohit Sharma to reconsider his batting approach

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Mar 7, 2025, 15:46 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Sunil Gavaskar has urged Rohit Sharma to build longer innings for India, stressing that his aggressive starts often lead to early dismissals, limiting his impact. Gavaskar believes that by balancing aggression with discretion, Rohit can transform the game and help India achieve higher scores. He questions Rohit's satisfaction with brief contributions, encouraging longer innings for greater team impact.

'You shouldn't be happy with scoring 25-30 runs': Sunil Gavaskar urges Rohit Sharma to reconsider his batting approach

<p>Sunil Gavaskar and Rohit Sharma<br></p>

NEW DELHI: Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has urged Indian skipper Rohit Sharma to build longer innings instead of being content with quick starts, emphasising that his prolonged presence at the crease could be a game-changer for India. Gavaskar believes that while Rohit's aggressive approach in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) has given the team quick starts, it has also led to early dismissals, limiting his overall impact.

Poll

Should Rohit Sharma Adjust His Batting Approach?

No – Stick to His Aggressive StyleYes – Focus on Building Longer Innings

In the ongoing Champions Trophy, Rohit's highest score so far has been 41 against Bangladesh in the opening game. He has managed scores of 20, 15 and 28 against Pakistan, New Zealand and Australia respectively.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.

"If he (Rohit Sharma) bats for even 25 overs, India will be around 180-200. Imagine if they have lost only a couple of wickets by then; just think what they could do. They could reach 350 or more," Gavaskar told India Today.
Gavaskar stressed that Rohit himself needs to reconsider his approach, as balancing aggression with discretion could make his performances even more impactful. "He also needs to give it some thought. It's one thing to go out and play aggressively, but there has to be a bit of discretion somewhere to give himself the chance to bat for 25-30 overs. If he does that, he takes the game away from the opposition. That kind of impact is match-winning."

'Rohit Sharma-led Team India will clinch the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title': Astrologer Greenstone Lobo's huge prediction

The former Indian captain also questioned whether Rohit should be satisfied with brief but flashy contributions. "And I think, as a batter, are you happy with scoring 25-30 runs? You shouldn't be! So that is what I would say to him: your impact on the team will be even greater if you bat for 25 overs instead of just seven, eight, or nine overs."
Gavaskar further pointed out that Rohit has been following this aggressive approach for the past two years, a strategy that began around the 2023 World Cup. While it has yielded some success, Gavaskar feels it does not fully justify the talent that Rohit possesses.

Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don't miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article