“The coach doesn't have that much power” - 1983 World Cup winner on Rohit Sharma conundrum ahead of 5th BGT 2024-25 Test

Former India player Madan Lal reckons that the decision solely rests on the Team India skipper Rohit Sharma whether he wishes to play in the XI or not. Rohit's place in the playing XI for the fifth Test in Sydney is under scrutiny, with reports suggesting that he might be dropped.

Lal shared that the coach doesn't have the power to drop anyone on his own and has to consult the captain before taking the final call. The 1983 World Cup-winning player added that Rohit should only play if he feels confident.

Madan Lal told IANS (via The Times of India):

"Rohit is a captain. As team management, as a coach, they can sit down and sort things out. What’s the problem when you’re playing for the country? The coach doesn’t have that much power to just drop someone. They’ll have to consult, right? The team isn’t formed by the captain alone, is it? The coach and captain together form the team, right?"

He continued:

"Rohit has to make a decision—whether to play or not to play. If he believes he can do the job and regain his form, that’s good. It’s about how you feel, your confidence. If he feels that he’s not pulling his weight, he can always step aside and give a chance to others. The only thing is that the shuffling of the batting order is a bit of an issue. First, he went to number 5, then he came back to the top of the order."

As a batter, Rohit Sharma has managed just 31 runs across five innings, averaging 6.2 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The right-handed batter has scored 164 runs in his last 15 Test innings at an average of 10.93, including one half-century.

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"Jasprit Bumrah is the only bowler taking wickets" - Madan Lal express on Rohit Sharma and Co.

Madan Lal further expressed his concerns over Jasprit Bumrah's bowling partners - Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep. The 73-year-old said during the same interaction:

"Jasprit Bumrah is the only bowler taking wickets. The rest of the them , they’re taking wickets too, but not breaking through at the right moments."

He continued:

"Like, if you see… Mohammed Siraj took wickets. But the thing is, when did he take those wickets? When 400 runs had already been scored, or 300 runs, or 250, or 400 runs."

"When Bumrah is getting wickets, the bowler at the other end also needs to strike. Akash Deep took 1 or 2 wickets, but someone needs to bowl consistently. The only one consistently getting wickets is Jasprit. You need support from the other end too, and at the right time," he added.

The fifth Test between India and Australia will be played in Sydney from Friday, January 3 onwards. The visitors are trailing the Aussies 1-2 after an 184-run loss in the fourth Test in Melbourne.