Former India batter Manoj Tiwary has criticised comments made by Team India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate on Rohit Sharma’s recent form, calling them unwarranted and potentially damaging to a senior player’s confidence.

The issue surfaced after ten Doeschate attributed Rohit’s modest scores of 26 and 24 in the first two ODIs against New Zealand to a lack of consistent match practice. Following India’s loss in Rajkot, which allowed the visitors to level the series, the assistant coach reiterated his view, sparking debate.

Tiwary strongly refuted the assessment, pointing out that Rohit had returned to international cricket in emphatic fashion during the ODI series in Australia, where he scored a half-century and a century to win the Player of the Series award. He added that Rohit had also continued his good form in the home series against South Africa before the New Zealand fixtures.

Dismissing claims of insufficient game time, Tiwary noted that Rohit had recently played in Mumbai’s Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign and even scored a century in the opening match, underlining that the skipper was far from short of match practice.

While maintaining respect for ten Doeschate, Tiwary questioned the need to make such observations publicly, especially about a player of Rohit Sharma’s stature. He emphasised that Rohit’s contributions to Indian cricket, both as a batter and as captain, outweigh any brief dip in form.

Tiwary described the remarks as demoralising, particularly since they came from within the team management rather than an external observer. He stressed that members of the support staff must be cautious with their words, as such comments can influence players and affect the dressing-room atmosphere, urging the assistant coach to avoid similar statements in the future.