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'It's unfair to disrupt the balance of the team just to accommodate a big-name player who is out of form.'
Rohit Sharma's struggles with the bat continued in the Melbourne Test against Australia.
Returning to his original opening slot in the Boxing Day Test, Rohit hoped to turn his fortunes around. However, his innings lasted just five deliveries before he was dismissed by Pat Cummins for three.
Sanjay Manjrekar has now weighed in, calling the decision to reinstate Rohit as an opener 'unfair' to K L Rahul, who had done well in the position in the first three Tests of the series.
Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon sledged Rahul asking the India batter, 'What did you do wrong to bat one down?'
Rohit's form slump is stark -- just 152 runs in his last 14 innings, with his most recent half-century coming against New Zealand last month.
Manjrekar didn't hold back, criticising Indian cricket's tendency to prioritise star players at the expense of team strategy.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar cited Rahul's consistency and record-breaking partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first Test as reasons why the decision to push Rohit back to the top order was flawed.
'This VIP culture in Indian cricket needs to end,' Manjrekar said.
'It's unfair to disrupt the balance of the team just to accommodate a big-name player who is out of form. K L Rahul has been India's most consistent batter, and to sideline him to get Rohit Sharma back in rhythm doesn't make cricketing sense.'
'It reminds me of Tendulkar after the 2011 World Cup. There were times when big names took precedence over what was best for the team. This mindset needs to change if Indian cricket is to progress,' Manjrekar added.
While critical of the team management's decision, Manjrekar also expressed empathy for Rohit. 'You can see he's struggling mentally and technically. He's stuck in two minds -- whether to defend or play his natural game. That pull shot was a reflection of his current state. It wasn't the right ball to play that shot, and he looked completely out of place.'
'It's tough to watch a player of his calibre go through this phase,' Manjrekar added. 'He's clearly overthinking his approach, and that's something the team management needs to help him address.'