Rahul Dravid, the head coach of Team India, praised Rohit Sharma for his strategic choice to place himself in the initial super over against Afghanistan in the third and concluding T20I of the series. Dravid characterized Rohit Sharma’s tactical maneuver ‘Retire Out or Retire Hurt’ as ‘thinking at the level of Ash.’
Having previously scored an unbeaten 121 in the match, Rohit Sharma demonstrated his prowess in the super over. The 36-year-old hit two sixes while India chased down 17 runs. Before the last delivery, Rohit opted to retire, substituting himself with Rinku Singh, a faster runner.
Requiring two runs on the ultimate delivery, Yashasvi Jaiswal secured a single, resulting in another tie. If Rohit’s retirement was intentional, it seemed to be a calculated move aimed at bringing in a swifter runner for the crucial final ball, showcasing a high level of tactical acumen.
Rahul Dravid Praises Rohit Sharma’s Tactical Brilliance
‘Retire Out or Retire Hurt’ – Rahul Dravid has lauded Rohit Sharma’s strategic decision to potentially retire out, likening it to Ravichandran Ashwin’s similar move in the 2022 IPL. The confusion over Rohit’s status arose after India’s thrilling victory over Afghanistan in the T20I, where a super over was needed to determine the winner. While Rohit Sharma entrusted Ravi Bishnoi to defend a below-par score in the second super over, Dravid’s appreciation for Rohit’s tactical thinking was evident. However, uncertainty remains regarding Rohit’s status, as umpires are yet to clarify whether he retired hurt or out, with potential implications for subsequent super overs as per ICC’s T20I playing conditions.
Retire Out or Retire Hurt – Clearing the air
“Any batsman dismissed in any previous Super Over shall be ineligible to bat in any subsequent Super Over,” says one of the playing conditions set by the MCC.
“If a batter retires because of illness, injury or any other unavoidable cause, that batter is entitled to resume his/her innings. If for any reason this does not happen, that batter is to be recorded as ‘Retired – not out’,” says Law 25.4.2 of the MCC.
“If a batter retires for any reason other than as in 25.4.2, the innings of that batter may be resumed only with the consent of the opposing captain. If for any reason his/her innings is not resumed, that batter is to be recorded as ‘Retired – out’,” says Law 25.4.3.
Jonathan Trott, the coach of Afghanistan, admitted to being unsure whether Rohit Sharma retired hurt or retired out. Trott emphasized the ever-changing landscape of rules and guidelines in cricket.
“I have no idea. Has there ever been two Super Overs? That’s what I am trying to say. It’s sort of like a new… we keep setting these new sort of rules. What I am trying to say is we kept testing the rules, we kept testing the guidelines,” Trott said in the post-match press conference.
