‘Sports do not build character, they reveal it.’
A true example of one such character is Rohit Sharma. He is an enigma. He can leave you wonderstruck with his skilled shots and bewildered about his utter carelessness. His inconsistency might have caused a lot of debate, but his skill has never been questioned.
Rohit is extremely talented. It is a delight to watch him caress the ball to the boundary by creating a gap with geometrical precision and sheer timing. Legends sing praises of his calibre irrespective of their nationality. Alas, he is an anomaly of perfection.
His well-wishers get exasperated with his lackadaisical approach that affects his game. But, he always bounces back with a match-winning knock that showcases his flair and shuts out criticism. Is this enough?
Falling short
It is easy to get away with some impact knocks in shorter formats. But Test matches provide the platform to truly assess the potential of the player. A batsman has a crucial role to contribute and must add to the winning percentage of the team. Sadly, in Rohit’s case, he is neither boosting the confidence of the team by putting a big price on his wicket nor is he staying in the middle long enough to build partnerships.
In cricket, mental toughness, along with technique and physical fitness, plays a major role in the performance of a player. As a batsman, you are required to give your all to every ball you face. I know that Rohit’s mental set-up is different than a normal player. Having been brought up under difficult circumstances, he is a tough cookie.
Rohit enjoys challenges. How can his game be an exception? Abhishek Nayar, the mentor of the Mumbai Ranji team, has assessed him correctly. “Rohit is immune to what the world thinks about him. He is his own boss. His temperament is impeccable. Every time he is thrown against the wall, he has that knack of bouncing back. Under pressure, he gets the freedom to play his shots; especially when playing with the lower-order batsmen,” says Nayar.
In 2013, Rohit was promoted to open the innings in the ODI against Australia. He seemed to enjoy that role. He scored two centuries including an innings of 209. It was a turning point in his career.
The selectors were convinced of his talent and picked him for the Test team. He didn’t disappoint. He scored centuries in his first two innings. Later, in an ODI at the Eden Gardens, he massacred the Sri Lankan attack with a 264 off 173 balls.
Rohit exudes confidence. When he surveys the field after taking guard, the indication he seems to give is ‘why so fewer fielders for my shot’. The repertoire he possesses will give a complex to any non-striker. But, why doesn’t he make the optimum utilisation of his range of shots when the bowlers are at his feet?
His swashbuckling knocks so far have been an exhibition of how to toy with the international bowling. Then, why is it that he under-performs in a Test match? Is it due to insecurity? Whatever the reason may be, it’s time to overcome them. As he is nearing the age of 30, the selectors may not have the patience without a consistency in his performance.
Importance of mental strength
As the legendary C.L.R. James wrote, ‘the greatness of a cricketer lies in his head.’ Mental strength is crucial for a batsman’s success. He has no room for error and a tiny lapse in judgement could make him come crashing down. In modern sports, top athletes undergo sessions under mental trainers.
There is a fine example of Sir Richard Hadlee. Under-performance made him vanish with his psychologist friend. After undergoing sessions, he got back to the game with much more confidence. And he isn’t the first or the last athlete to do so!
Cricket is more about mental training than technical. There have been batsmen who have done exceedingly well in domestic cricket but failed miserably at the international level. Even though Rohit is known to handle pressure in the middle admirably and is least perturbed by criticism, a check on his mental state should be necessitated.
With the talent that he has, he is certainly not doing justice to the game. This results in the team falling short of the target. He needs to be mentally tough to perform steadily.
He presents a lazy elegance which at times is misconstrued as a casual approach. When he under-performs, criticism is much more venomous. In such circumstances, it’s only the thought process that can help. When he bats well to get runs, he must think of the days when he batted well but didn’t score. This will keep him grounded and composed.
This is something that all batsmen from the Mumbai school of batsmanship are taught. Rohit is well aware of it. It has to run in his veins for him to make more impact on the world of cricket.
