"Shreyas Iyer should be a part of that meeting" - Former opener on Rohit Sharma's approach amid AUS vs IND 2025 ODIs

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that Rohit Sharma should decide his approach in ODIs after a meeting with the Indian think tank, including Shreyas Iyer as the vice-captain. He opined that the former India skipper is selling himself short by trying to bat too aggressively.

Rohit was removed as India's ODI skipper ahead of the ongoing three-match series against Australia, with Shubman Gill and Shreyas appointed the captain and vice-captain respectively. Rohit managed only eight runs off 14 deliveries in the Men in Blue's seven-wicket loss via the DLS method in the first ODI in Perth on Sunday, October 19.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener was asked whether Rohit should continue with his risky batting approach or look to score some runs for himself and the team.

"Very good question. I genuinely feel, and when he was hitting sixes and fours, then also I was feeling, you are selling yourself too short. You are going too hard too soon. When you try to hit so much, hundreds aren't scored and the average falls," Chopra responded (4:00)

"You were the captain at that time. You were setting a template for the team and you said you would play like that only. However, does the Indian team have to play like that now? It's a question, which he should sit with Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir and discuss. Shreyas Iyer should be a part of that meeting, that what is our plan now?" he added.

Aakash Chopra noted that Rohit Sharma had adopted an ultra-aggresive approach as the 2023 World Cup was in batting-friendly conditions in India. He questioned whether a similar approach will be successful in potentially seamer-friendly conditions in the he 2027 World Cup in South Africa.

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"There is a lot of quality but quantity is also required" - Aakash Chopra on Rohit Sharma not making big hundreds

Rohit Sharma has scored just four ODI centuries since the beginning of 2020. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra reckoned that Rohit Sharma needs to return to his big-scoring ways.

"There is a lot of quality but quantity is also required. I feel Rohit Sharma has to recaliberate. The father of daddy hundreds we used to call him, he has to go back the same way. He will have to do the same job again. He will have to score the same big hundreds," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Indian team would gain more if Rohit plays substantial knocks rather than just giving them flying starts.

"When he helps himself, the Indian team will gain a lot. If you need a Rohit who scores only 40-50, you will get someone else. You need a Rohit who scores 150. Rohit has to score runs and big runs. Now that he has come after getting fit, I have great expectations that he will also put his mind to it, that if he gets set now, he won't get out while trying to hit a six after scoring 40-odd," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra highlighted that a batter's job is to maximize himself. He added that Rohit Sharma should look to play till the 40th or 45th over and score more than 150 runs, and even a double century, if he can.