Inconsistent Rohit Sharma's days numbered!

Once touted as being the next big name in Indian cricket, Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma’s career hangs by a thread after three straight failures against a lowly Zimbabwe bowling attack.

The national selectors and team management, though, seem to have a soft corner for the 26-year-old right-hander, who somehow holds his place in the team despite inconsistent performances.

When in full flow, his batting is a joy to behold. However, on the tour of Zimbabwe he has failed to live up to expectations and could soon find himself tagged as another failed genius.

This year he has played 15 matches and scored 516 runs, at an average of 36, including five half-centuries.

He made a comeback to the team after a poor run last year, during which he aggregated just 168 runs in 14 matches, at an average of 12.

Rajneesh Gupta provides a statistical outlook of his showing over the years. 

Performance in each calendar year:

Rohit is blessed with immense talent, but his tendency to throw his wicket away has left many frustrated.

The team management provided him another lifeline by promoting him to open the innings in the ICC Champions Trophy, which India won, but he failed to make the most of the opportunity.

He averages 32 as an opener in 18 innings, and except for the No. 5 slot, where he averages 45, he has flopped in all other positions.

Performance at each position:

Rohit has also found batting difficult overseas where the conditions tend to favour the bowlers. His average away from home is 28 in 84 matches, whereas his record at home is way better at 591 runs in 17 matches @45.

Performance in India and abroad:

Batting first or second doesn’t seem to matter to Rohit, whose record is poor either ways.

Performance – Batting first / second:

The table below reveals his dirty habit of throwing his wicket away after getting off to good starts. He has been dismissed 26 times between 21 and 49, while on 30 occasions he got out in single digit scores.

His conversion record is pretty poor. He crossed the fifty-run 17 times in 101 games while scoring only two centuries, which is quite a dismal record for someone who has all through been a top order batsman and batted in the top order mostly.

Distribution of scores:

Rohit and his numerous comebacks:

- Rohit started his ODI career against Ireland at Belfast in 2007. He did not get to bat in his debut game. He scored 8 in his debut innings (in second match) in ODIs against South Africa.

- Following that game, Rohit was dropped for the next 12 ODIs.

- Made a comeback against Australia at Hyderabad in 2007; scored 1 and got dropped for another 8 games.

- Made another comeback against Pakistan at Jaipur in November 2007 and 52 off 61 balls at number 5.

- Was a regular member of the team until July 2009 despite scoring 686 runs at an average of 26.38 with four fifties. He batted at five different positions (from 3 to 7) during this period.

- Was dropped for the Compaq Cup in Sri Lanka in 2009 and did not play another ODI till February 2010 -- missing 24 matches in between.

- Made a comeback against South Africa at Ahmedabad in February 2010 scoring 48 off 61 balls.

- Made back to back hundreds in the tri-series in Zimbabwe in May 2010.

- After a successful Tri-series and a moderate Asia Cup, Rohit had a miserable run in the tri-series in Sri Lanka, where he had the scores of 4, 0, 11 and 5 but still retained his place. But after another unsuccessful series in South Africa, where he got scores of 11, 9, 23, 1 and 5, the Mumbai right-hander was dropped from the Indian squad for the 2011 World Cup.

- Rohit made a comeback against the West Indies in West Indies after the World Cup and had the scores of 68*, 7*, 86*, 39 and 57. However, during India’s tour of England in 2011, he fractured his right index finger off the first ball he faced and was out of the series. He also missed the home series against England, but made a comeback with the home series against West Indies, registering scores of 72, 90*, 95, 27 and 21.

- He had an ordinary run in CB Series in Australia thereafter. Missed the first match of the Asia Cup, scored only four against Bangladesh in India’s second game and then 68 against arch-rivals Pakistan. 

- The right-hander had a horrible run against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, where he could manage only 13 runs in 5 innings. Another failure against Pakistan at home saw him getting dropped again.

- Rohit made yet another comeback against England at Mohali in January 2013. Since then he has played all 15 ODIs played by India, scoring 516 runs at an average of 36.86 with five fifties.