"He doesn't need to rush" - Wasim Jaffer on Rohit Sharma's recent high-risk batting approach in ODIs

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer felt skipper Rohit Sharma was better off getting set before teeing off in 50-over cricket rather than his recent high-risk approach.

Rohit scored a fluent 74 off 59 deliveries against Nepal in the final Group A clash of the Asia Cup despite starting at 50 strike rate in the first quarter of his innings. His knock propelled Team India to win by ten wickets and advance to the Super Four stage.

Since 2020, the 36-year-old has batted in an ultra-aggressive manner from the get-go, resulting in an increased strike rate but fewer big scores. Rohit has scored only two centuries in 25 innings during this period, with a highest score of 119 against West Indies.

Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Jaffer stated that Rohit would be better off batting in his usual tempo than the off-late approach in the ODI format.

"Especially in the ODI format. Can understand in T20 cricket wanting to take on the bowlers in the powerplay. But in 50-over cricket, he can take a bit of time and then he races past 50 and more. He doesn't need to rush," he said.

"If he plays out the first 10 overs nice and easy then he has got plenty of time being one of the better strikers in the world that makes six-hitting look easy. So scoring runs quickly isn't a problem once he is set," he added.

Despite a slight dip in average and centuries, Rohit has maintained a quicker scoring rate of 114 and 106 in the last two years compared to his overall ODI strike rate of 90. Among the most accomplished batters to have played the game, the Team India skipper is the only cricketer to have scored three ODI double-centuries.

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"He was in this uber-aggressive approach which was going against the grain" - Robin Uthappa

Rohit Sharma has adopted an ultra-aggressive approach in ODIS recently.

Another former Indian batter, Robin Uthappa, echoed Wasim Jaffer's sentiment concerning Rohit Sharma's changed batting approach in ODIs.

An attacking opener himself, Uthappa credited the Indian skipper for his willingness to evolve. However, with the ability to make up his strike rate, Uthappa felt Rohit should resort to the approach that brought him tremendous success in 50-over cricket.

"What's heartening to see is that Rohit Sharma in the last 18 months started playing cricket a certain way which in my opinion was not necessarily the best for him. He was in this uber-aggressive approach which I thought was going against the grain of how he usually bats. He usually is someone who likes to take his time and once set he makes up for all the lost time that he takes," said Uthappa.

He further pointed to Rohit's half-century against Nepal as the ideal batting template for the champion batter in 50-over cricket.

"In today's game, he did something similar where he got in and once he understood the requirement and felt he was in, he started taking the attack to the bowlers. Hope he sticks to what works for him and in the past this has worked for him. His first 50 would come slowly in ODI cricket but the subsequent 50s would come in double quick time. So that's a template that's worked with him so hopefully he stays with that," added Uthappa.

Overall, Rohit is among the modern greats in the ODI format, scoring 9,922 runs at an average of almost 49, with 30 centuries. He also became the first cricketer to smash five centuries in a single World Cup during the 2019 edition.

Team India will have a few days off before taking on Pakistan in their first Super Fours clash of the Asia Cup on Sunday, September 10.