Rohit Sharma's ability to score big still there: Sanjay Manjrekar backs India captain to shine at World Cup 2023

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said captain Rohit Sharma has evolved into a more technically sound batter in the last 4 years, backing the skipper to do well at the Cricket World Cup 2023 at home.

Manjrekar said Rohit Sharma's hunger to get the big scores is still intact, but said that only time will tell if the star opener can repeat the heroics of the 2019 World Cup. Rohit set a world record, hitting as many as 5 hundreds in the World Cup in England even though India were knocked out in the semi-final. The opener scored 648 runs in 9 matches, showcasing his imperious form in the UK.

IND v PAK, Asia Cup Super Fours Updates

Notably, Rohit Sharma had said before the start of the Asia Cup that he wanted to get back into the frame of mind that brought him success in 2019. However, the skipper has managed just 3 hundreds since the end of the 2019 World Cup in ODIs, failing to convert his fifties into 3-figure scores as many as 8 times.

"He got 5 hundreds in the last World Cup, right? My assessment of Rohit Sharma is that his defence has actually gotten much better. He is a much better Test player now than he was in 2019. So I have no issues," Manjrekar told Star Sports on September 10.

The former cricketer's comments came after Rohit Sharma hit a 49-ball 56 in the Asia Cup 2023 Super Fours match against Pakistan in Colombo. Rohit struggled at the start against Naseem Shah but he played out that phase and attacked leg-spinner Shadab Khan.

'ROHIT IS BETTER TODAY'

Rohit Sharma hit 4 sixes and 6 boundaries as he looked solid before throwing his wicket away with a loose shot against leg-spinner Shadab in the 17th over after a 121-run opening stand with Shubman Gill.

"I was absolutely not surprised with the defence he showed today against Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi. It's about converting those starts into big hundreds because that involves running a lot of ones and twos later on in the innings.

"Today, he got out after fifty. Even earlier in the season, there were occasions when he had got past his fifties and looked good.

"Only time will tell whether he would be able to replicate that. But, on the pure quality of defence, Rohit is better today. That natural ability to hit the big shots is still there. The question is whether he can bring that all together to hit 5 hundreds, 4 hundreds or 3. That time will tell," Manjrekar added.