Rohit’s slow footwork makes him vulnerable, says Gavaskar

Indian cricket great Sunil Gavaskar said that Rohit Sharma's slow footwork makes him vulnerable early on in the innings and the opener needs to rectify this issue if he wants to replicate what he did in the previous edition of the World Cup.

In the 2019 ODI World Cup, Rohit finished as the highest run-getter, scoring 648 runs with five centuries and a half-century.

The Indian captain, however, started his campaign in the 2023 edition with a duck against Australia in Chennai.

Gavaskar in his column for Sportstar, dissected Rohit's dismissal and said the 36-year-old's slow footwork was the reason why he got trapped Leg Before Wicket (LBW) by Josh Hazlewood.

"In the last tournament in 2019, Rohit Sharma, the Indian skipper, hit five centuries and a few half-centuries too. This time around, which could well be his last World Cup, he has begun with a zero in the first game," Gavaskar wrote.

"The footwork is palpably slow to start with, and that makes him vulnerable to the incoming delivery. If he can rediscover the 2019 form, then India will be assured of a very good start to their campaign," he added.

India eventually won the match by six wickets but it wasn't smooth sailing for the hosts.

Chasing just 200, India had lost three wickets for just two runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

KL Rahul then hit an unbeaten 97 and Virat Kohli, who got dropped on 12, made 85 to ensure the hosts began their campaign with a victory.