Rohit Sharma Test dismissal modes overview: how many times has he been bowled, LBW and caught?

Team India skipper Rohit Sharma's Test career has been the definition of a rollercoaster ride based on any and every aspect - batting positions, performances, and even modes of dismissals. Arguably a top-five batter of all-time in white-ball cricket, Rohit took ample time before establishing himself as a regular in India's Test side.

Yet, as he approaches 11 years since his Test debut in 2013, Rohit's numbers in the format are as impressive as anyone in the current setup. The 37-year-old has scored 4,179 runs in 61 Tests at a healthy average of almost 44 with 12 centuries and 17 half-centuries.

While Rohit has become India's No.1 Test opener in the last five years, he spent the first half of his Test career in the middle order. Thus, the champion batter has encountered almost all the variances of a Test match from starting against the pacers with the new ball on a fresh pitch to coming in against spinners with the older ball on a tired wicket.

Rohit has also been a victim of the different types of dismissals against pace and spin.

However, in this analysis, we focus on and deep-dive into his primary Test dismissal modes - bowled, caught, and LBW.

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#1 Bowled

Any batter in world cricket would tell you that the most unpleasant mode of dismissal is getting cleaned up by the bowler. And in his illustrious Test career, Rohit has certainly seen his stumps being uprooted several times.

The champion batter has been bowled 18 times in total in Test cricket with an average of 34.27 in those innings that have ended with such a mode of dismissal. Not surprisingly, the SENA teams have tasted the most success through bowled's against Rohit.

South Africa tops the list of times Rohit has been cleaned up in Tests with 5, while England, Australia, and New Zealand are at 4,3 and 2, respectively, making it 14 out of his 18 bowled dismissals against SENA nations.

It is also interesting to note that between 2016 and 2019, the veteran batter was bowled only once, while 2015 and 2023 were when he suffered the dismissal the most with 4.

Out of his 18 bowled dismissals, half have come on Asian pitches - not surprising, considering the slow and low nature of tracks.

Finally, the home and away splits for No. of bowled dismissals read 11 and 7, respectively - again unsurprising given the low pitches in India.

Yet, Rohit scored centuries twice in innings ending with him being bowled against Australia and England. India has also won 7 of the 18 matches that Rohit has been cleaned up.

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#2 LBW

A near mirror image of 'bowled' is the Leg Before Wicket (LBW) mode of dismissal when a part of a batter's legs prevents the ball from its ultimate destination of smashing the stumps.

Rohit has often been found guilty of slow foot movements, resulting in him getting trapped LBW. In Test cricket, he has suffered such a dismissal 17 times - one less than his bowled count.

Yet, his average in the innings that have ended with an LBW dismissal is an impressive 41.47 - only a shade under his overall Test average of 43.98. Out of the 17 LBW dismissed innings, Rohit scored 50+ four times, including a century - 177 against the West Indies.

With a lot of the mechanisms similar to bowled, Rohit's LBW trends follow a similar path to his bowled dismissals. The stylish right-hander has been dismissed LBW the most by England despite averaging over 46 in those innings - evidence that he has often been set in those stints.

South Africa and Australia have each dismissed Rohit LBW 3 times - the second most. Rohit has walked back after an LBW dismissal 7 out of the 17 times at home and 9 times overall in Asia.

2021 and 2023 top the list in terms of years he was dismissed LBW the most with 4 and 3, respectively.

Unfortunately for India, Rohit getting out LBW isn't a promising sight as they have lost 9 out of the 16 Tests he has endured this mode of dismissal.

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#3 Caught

It is a no-brainer that caught will almost certainly be the most common mode of dismissal for any batter in Tests, considering the numerous fielding positions it can be affected from.

Rohit has been dismissed caught 55 times in his stellar Test career with an average of only 35.56 in those innings. Unsurprisingly, 31 out of his 55 such dismissals have come away from home.

Among the away conditions, Rohit has been dismissed caught the most in Australia with 12 and England with 8. These numbers are along expected lines as Aussie pitches often possess the most bounce, leading to caught behinds and slip catches.

Rohit suffered the 'caught' syndrome the most in 2021 with 12 and is on track to potentially better that number this year as he sits on 9 at the moment.

Yet, there is something about Rohit getting caught that India may not mind as they have won 25 and lost only 10 Tests.

Summary

The above table shows that Rohit - like most batters in world cricket, has been dismissed 'caught' the most in Tests.

His bowled and LBW splits are almost identical and combine for slightly over a third of his Test dismissals.