Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has urged Rohit Sharma to rely on his defensive technique, rather than resorting to aggressive shots under pressure. Rohit’s form in Test cricket has been under scrutiny, especially after India’s 0-3 series loss against New Zealand. In that series, Rohit scored just 91 runs in six innings, and in the recent Wankhede Test, he managed only 18 and 11 runs, as India failed to chase 147 and lost by 25 runs.

Karthik believes that Rohit’s reliance on “intent” — a trait he has successfully infused into white-ball cricket — has now become his “safe space” in Test cricket. “Since taking over as captain, especially in white-ball formats, Rohit has been a torchbearer of aggressive intent, which worked well for the Indian team,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz. However, he cautioned that this approach may not suit Test cricket.

Karthik observed that when Rohit is put under pressure or beaten a few times, his instinct is to play risky attacking shots, which increases his chances of getting out. Karthik advised that Rohit should trust his defensive skills more, especially in challenging situations in the longest format of the game.