Matthew Hayden Lauds Rohit Sharma's Elegant Batting Style And Ask Fans To Not To be "Disappointed"

December 8, 2024: Matthew Hayden shared his thoughts on Rohit Sharma's dismissal and the inherent challenges of playing in a pink-ball Test match. Drawing from his extensive experience in international cricket, Hayden discussed the unique nature of Rohit’s batting and defended his dismissal, particularly under the tricky night-time conditions of a pink ball.

Hayden began by describing Rohit Sharma's elegant approach to batting. He compared Rohit's style to sitting in a leather lounge chair with a cup of coffee, illustrating how the Indian opener makes the game look effortless and relaxed. "He plays cricket like he's sitting on a leather lounge chair and reclining with a cup of coffee in his hands," Hayden remarked, adding that while some players, like Virat Kohli, are known for their intense, busy style, Rohit Sharma exudes a sense of ease.

"Rohit Sharma's too easy. He's more in the category of the Mark Waugh's, the Shubman Gill's. They make cricket look easy," Hayden said, emphasizing how these players have a graceful yet effective approach to the game. However, he acknowledged that, in Test cricket, it is easy for observers to criticize a soft dismissal, particularly when a batsman like Rohit seems to be in control. "It's very easy for us that make the comments around, well, that was a soft way to get out. But it's the one thing that we actually admire the most about someone like Rohit Sharma who seemingly does have a lot of time to play," he added.

When it came to discussing Rohit Sharma's dismissal for 6 runs, which came off a Pat Cummins delivery that bowled him out, Hayden was quick to defend the Indian opener. He noted that Rohit faced a beautiful delivery and added that the context of pink-ball cricket under lights made it particularly challenging. "He got an absolute jaffer of a delivery. In fact, he got a great sequence of deliveries in the short time that he was out there under these lights," Hayden explained.

He emphasized that pink-ball Test matches, especially those with the new ball under lights, present technical difficulties that expose even the best players. "When it comes to the night game with the new pink ball, it is horrendous. It's so technically difficult. It exposes everyone and anyone," he said, recognizing how even the most accomplished batsmen are vulnerable during this phase of the game.

Rohit Sharma's dismissal was a crucial moment in the second innings, as his early departure put India in a challenging position. With India already behind on the scoreboard, Sharma’s wicket added pressure on the remaining batsmen, who had to cope with the difficult conditions of the pink-ball Test. Despite the relatively low score, Hayden's analysis pointed to the complexity of playing in those conditions, particularly against a high-quality Australian attack.

In conclusion, Hayden defended Rohit's dismissal as a result of challenging conditions rather than a technical flaw in his batting. The former Australian cricketer underscored the difficulty of facing the pink ball at night and praised Sharma's relaxed batting style, even though he had to depart early in the innings.