'Rohit Sharma should not have had a place in India XI': Irfan Pathan's Sydney revelation; ‘You wouldn't misbehave…'
In a teaser clip released by Lallantop on Wednesday, Pathan acknowledged Rohit's white-ball brilliance but highlighted his notably poor Test performances. Across eight Test matches last year against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia, the 37-year-old scored just 164 runs, with a single half-century. During the tour of Australia, where he played three games, Rohit averaged only 6.20 – the lowest ever by a visiting captain in Australia (minimum five innings).
Pathan stressed that had Rohit not been captain, he would likely have been benched after such performances. 'Rohit Sharma is an amazing player in white-ball cricket, but his average in Test cricket that year was 6, so we said that if he was not the captain, he would not have had a place in the team, and this is true,' he said.
Amid mounting criticism and questions over his Test future, Rohit was not included for the series finale in Sydney. While many speculated that he was dropped, Rohit clarified in an interview that he had voluntarily chosen to 'opt out.'
Pathan revealed that despite knowing Rohit Sharma's place in the playing XI was not secure, they were compelled to publicly back him during that interview.
"People say that we supported Rohit Sharma more than necessary. Of course, when someone comes to interview on your broadcasting channel, you will not misbehave with them, right? You have invited him, so you will behave politely. When Rohit came to interview, we were, of course, polite, and we had to show that, because he was our guest. So that was connected and said we were supporting him, but it was we who said...we had said that he should keep fighting, but that said, he should not have had a place in the playing XI. If he was not the captain of the team, he would have been dropped," he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
AUS A vs IND A, 3rd unofficial ODI LIVE streaming info: Where to watch India women's tour of Australia?
India A faces Australia A in the third and final unofficial One-Day match on Sunday. The Indian side had secured the series win after winning back-to-back matches. Fine half-centuries from Yastika Bhatia, Radha Yadav and Tanuja Kanwar propelled it to a two-wicket victory over Australia in the second match. LIVE STREAMING INFO When is the Australia A women vs India A women 3rd unofficial One-day match? The Australia A women vs India A women 3rd unofficial One-day match will begin at 9:30 am local time on Sunday, August 17 (5 am IST on Sunday) at the Ian Healy Oval in Brisbane. Where to watch the Australia A women vs India A women 3rd unofficial One-day match LIVE? The Australia A women vs India A women 3rd unofficial One-day match will be streamed live on the Fancode platform.
India Today
3 hours ago
- India Today
Dewald Brevis breaks Virat Kohli's major record after breathtaking 50 vs Australia
South Africa's young batting sensation Dewald Brevis has broken Virat Kohli's record after his quickfire half-century against Australia in the third T20I in Cairns. Fresh from a 41-ball century in the second T20I, Brevis continued his rich form as he slammed a 22-ball 22-year-old played a sensational innings of 53 (26) as he clobbered one four and six sixes. During his innings, he also surpassed Virat Kohli to register most sixes in T20Is against Australia at their home. The India star had 12 sixes from 10 innings in the shortest format against Australia on their home soil. Brevis has now left him behind, having hit 14 maximums in just three his innings, the Proteas batter whacked Aaron Hardie for four successive sixes to send fans into a frenzy. Courtesy of his innings, South Africa posted a good score of 172/7 in their allotted 20 overs. In reply, Australia chased down the target on the penultimate ball of the match as Glenn Maxwell (62* off 36) took his team over the line in the thrilling run chase. Apart from him, captain Mitchell Marsh also scored a quickfire 54 off 37 balls with the help of three fours and five sixes as Australia won the three-match series by 2-1. Earlier in the 2nd T20I, Brevis scored a sensational 125* (56) with the help of 12 fours and eight sixes. Courtesy of his innings, South Africa posted a massive total of 218/7 after being put in to bat recorded the second-fastest century for South Africa in T20Is off 41 balls after David Miller, who achieved the feat in 35 balls. The swashbuckling batter also registered the highest score by a South Africa batter in T20Is, surpassing Faf du Plessis' 119 against West Indies back in 2015 in reply, Australia got bundled out for 165 in 17.4 overs as Corbin Bosch (3/20) and Kwena Maphaka (3/57) shared three wickets each, guiding South Africa to a series-levelling 53-run win. Brevis was deservedly adjudged Player of the Match for setting up South Africa's massive win. He finished as the leading run scorer of the series with 180 runs from three innings at an average of 90.- EndsMust Watch
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Wallabies stun Springboks at Ellis Park from 22-0 down in Rugby Championship
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Australia toppled South Africa at Ellis Park for the first time in 62 years with a sensational 38-22 comeback win from 22-0 down in the Rugby Championship opener on Saturday. HT Image The Wallabies scored a remarkable six straight tries against the double world champion and Rugby Championship titleholder to earn one of their greatest wins in the professional era. Australia came to the highveld battle-hardened from the narrow home series loss to the British and Irish Lions, but its record in South Africa made it an obvious underdog. It hadn't won in South Africa since 2011 or at Ellis Park since 1963. The Springboks underlined their credentials by sprinting to 22-0 in 17 minutes with three well-made tries. But they never scored again. Australia didn't panic, absorbed the blows, tightened its defense and watched a Springboks side packed with 18 World Cup winners surprisingly wobble as the pressure was returned. The Wallabies, down 22-5 at halftime, didn't go ahead until the 64th minute through captain Harry Wilson's second try and last act of the match. They added two more tries to finish the stronger team at an altitude in which they have traditionally struggled for decades. This was only their second ever win over the Boks at their spiritual home in 92 years. 'At 22-0 down, there was real courage again from the players,' Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt told broadcaster SuperSport. "We were forced to take a few risks and there were a few lucky bounces for us, so we are not going to get too carried away. 'At the same time I am incredibly proud of the group. I am realistic about getting a little bit of luck, but delighted we came back. Nineteen-sixty-three was a long time ago so the players are delighted.' Following the heaviest defeat by the Springboks since Rassie Erasmus took charge in 2018, the coach admitted he was embarrassed to go to the press conference. "We were really awful,' he said. "They beat us in most departments. We didn't scrum them, they beat us in the lineouts, and they bullied us at the breakdown after Siya Kolisi went off and Marco van Staden had to go off for an HIA. "Tactically, we totally overplayed every time we thought something was on. I don't think they tactically outsmarted us but they physically dominated us, and the interesting thing is that the longer the game went on they were supposed to struggle but it just shows what Joe Schmidt is building there.' Wilson opened the second half scoring a soft try from replacement prop Angus Bell's pass into a gap 25 meters out. Len Ikitau limped off and Australia patched the midfield with Andrew Kellaway, and put flyhalf backup Tane Edmed on the wing for the injured Dylan Pietsch. Australia blew two consecutive attacking lineouts to narrow the 22-12 gap, and managed it only when rugby league convert Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i intercepted flyhalf Manie Libbok from 55 meters out for his first test try. They finally hit the front when fullback Tom Wright set up Wilson, who appeared to be cramping as he crossed the try-line for a second time. Wilson left. Two minutes later, a giant double miss-out pass by James O'Connor released right wing Max Jorgensen to score another long-range try. The fourth goalkick by O'Connor, the fourth-choice flyhalf playing his first test in three years at age 35, sent Australia 33-22 ahead with 14 minutes left. South Africa and its renowned 'bomb squad' of replacements couldn't break the inspired Wallabies. The coup was completed with five to go. Just outside the Australia 22, Jesse Kriel's overhead inside pass to Andre Esterhuizen was knocked on straight to Wright, who cantered to the other end. The Springboks feasted on Italy and Georgia last month but Erasmus gathered them for the Australia game a week earlier than scheduled, a compliment to the Wallabies' resurgent effort against the Lions. The decision paid off early. Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse jogged in for the opening try inside two minutes. Libbok converted, added a penalty, then hit the post when he tried to convert a long-range try finished by center Esterhuizen. Five minutes later, captain Kolisi was over. At 22-0 after 17 minutes, the lack of tension prompted the crowd of 51,300 to do a Mexican wave. Ruck penalties against South Africa gave Australia momentum, and Ikitau looped around O'Connor to free left wing Pietsch for Australia's first points after a half-hour. But Pietsch walked off soon after, clutching his jaw after tackling Kolisi's shoulder. Pietsch and Wilson are doubts for the second round in Cape Town next Saturday. ___ AP rugby:
