Rohit Sharma Faces Tough Questions After Day-Night Test Debacle

India’s crushing 10-wicket loss to Australia in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide has put captain Rohit Sharma under intense scrutiny. Following India’s commanding victory in Perth, led by Jasprit Bumrah as captain, Rohit took over the reins but struggled to inspire confidence in Adelaide. The loss has sparked a wave of criticism, with former cricketer Aakash Chopra questioning Rohit’s tactical decisions, particularly his handling of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra addressed fan queries about Rohit’s captaincy. When asked about Rohit’s approach, Chopra candidly expressed disappointment, labelling his decisions as defensive. 

"You are absolutely right, my friend. Did we bowl bouncers to Head? You have to bowl bouncers on Head's head. Until we do that, he doesn't get out and keeps troubling us. He has done that earlier and is doing it now also. He did that in the World Cup final and the WTC final as well," he said.

"Jasprit Bumrah had bowled a four-over spell and had already picked up a wicket in that. So why did he bowl only four overs, and didn't bowl after that at all? He didn't bowl in the entire session. So you are 100 per cent right when you say that you missed a trick in captaincy. Rohit's captaincy - let's call a spade a spade. We saw defensive captaincy. He allowed the match to drift," he added. 

Adding to the criticism, Chopra drew attention to Rohit’s record as captain. “He wasn’t leading in the Perth Test, so that win doesn’t count for him. If we look at consecutive losses, Rohit now joins a list that includes big names like Dhoni and Kohli. What’s concerning is that three of these defeats have come at home—a rare and worrying trend,” he explained.

The loss in Adelaide has not only put Rohit’s leadership under the spotlight but also raised questions about India’s overall preparedness and adaptability in high-pressure games. Fans and experts alike will now be watching closely to see how the team and its captain respond to this setback.