NEW DELHI: Legendary Australian batter Matthew Hayden on Monday offered struggling Indian skipper Rohit Sharma a unique piece of advice to regain his lost form — a simple two-word mantra.
The former Australian opener emphasised the importance of maintaining energy and intent under pressure, suggesting that Rohit use these “trigger words” as mental cues to stay composed and confident at the crease.
Virat Kohli is one of the greatest players ever: Mitch Marsh
With Rohit facing scrutiny over inconsistent performances, Hayden’s advice serves as a reminder that sometimes, the key to revival lies in simplifying the mental approach.
“When I think of Rohit Sharma, I think of a free-scoring batsman. You look at those double hundreds in one-day cricket, his magnificence in the short formats” Hayden told Star Sports.
During recent matches, particularly in the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, Rohit’s batting performance has been concerning. From his previous 12 innings, he managed to accumulate only 142 runs, maintaining a low average of 11.83, with just one fifty to his name.
Hayden suggested that adopting a defensive approach would not benefit Rohit’s batting form. He emphasised that Rohit’s strength lies in his naturally aggressive batting style and positive approach at the crease.
“For purely Rohit Sharma’s sake, he needs to have a great intent and energy about him. When I think back to Adelaide’s first game here in a long time, he was just a little sluggish. I’d be saying to him as his partner, ‘I don’t really want to see you defend the ball here’. I want him to be really reactive to the ball, really up for the fight, because his natural game will flow. Energy and intent will take that front foot a lot further towards the ball,” he added.
We as a team are going through transition: Jasprit Bumrah
Hayden stressed that Rohit needs to concentrate on two crucial aspects – intent and energy – to enhance his preparation methods and rediscover his batting form.
“Rohit, what I want you to do, my brother, is play with great energy and intent, and I’d have those as two maybe trigger words for him to think about in his preparation,” he added.
