'Two matches don't make a difference': Sitanshu Kotak breaks silence on Rohit Sharma amid Lord's ODI retirement rumours
‘Two matches don’t make a difference’: Sitanshu Kotak breaks silence on Rohit Sharma amid Lord’s ODI retirement rumours originally appeared on Cricket News.
Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Batting coach Kotak defends India veteran Rohit Sharma after poor Cardiff ODI show.
- Rohit averages just 30.12 in eight ODIs this year, one fifty.
- Retirement buzz builds ahead of Lord’s ODI series decider against England on Sunday.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak comes out in support of Rohit Sharma as Lord’s retirement talk grows
India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak stepped up to bat for Rohit Sharma on Thursday, dismissing talk that the veteran opener is feeling the heat after a string of low scores in the ongoing England ODI series.
Rohit’s troubles were there for everyone to see in the second match at Cardiff, a game England eventually won by four wickets to level the three-game series. He crawled to just 10 off 18 balls inside the Powerplay itself, even as the rest of the batting unit raced to 61 for one in that same period.
After playing nine consecutive dots, Rohit’s innings finally ended on a scratchy 26 off 47 deliveries when he attempted a sweep shot off Will Jacks and lost his wicket. Coming into this series, form had already been a concern, since Rohit has managed only one half-century and carries an average of just 30.12 in eight matches.
MORE: Rohit OUT Jaiswal IN: Fans want Yashasvi to grab India ODI opening spot
Kotak expects big innings from Rohit in the ENG vs IND 3rd ODI at Lord’s
With whispers growing louder about the selectors possibly easing Rohit out as India build toward the 2027 World Cup, Kotak was directly asked in the post-match press conference whether Rohit’s position would come under the scanner following Sunday’s series finale at Lord’s. His response left little room for doubt about where he stands.
“I don’t think a player as big as Rohit can feel the pressure,” Kotak said.
“He’s too good a player to feel that. Yes he hasn’t scored in two games. I don’t think that makes any difference. But today also it looked like he’ll get a good innings but that’s okay [that he didn’t get a big score].”
Kotak firmly rejected any suggestion that Rohit was going through a rough patch, instead backing him to come good at Lord’s.
“On a [given] day, there are a lot of batters I have seen, they don’t get that momentum what they are looking for, and that can happen,” Kotak said.
According to Kotak, the shots Rohit typically plays with confidence on the up were made trickier by the pitch’s uneven bounce, which may have thrown off his usual timing.
“You might see [a] completely different innings from Rohit Sharma in Lord’s. I wouldn’t use the word struggling, but maybe the shots he normally plays on the up, which is because of the double bounce, probably he felt it was not comfortable,” he said.
“Shubman got a quick start, then Virat got a quick start, but he [Rohit] probably didn’t get balls in his slot.
“You could definitely see a completely different innings from a player like Rohit and I have seen that happening to a lot of batters. So it’s not just Rohit. I wouldn’t use the word he was struggling.”
MORE: From Belfast to Lord’s: Rohit’s glittering ODI career for India detailed
(getty)
Is history repeating itself with Rohit Sharma?
This wouldn’t be the first instance that chief selector Ajit Agarkar and the team have dealt with Rohit Sharma in this particular fashion.
Something similar also occurred during the Australia tour, when Rohit was omitted from the Test squad and chose to walk away from that format entirely on his own terms.
MORE: Rumours swirl as Rohit Sharma tipped to retire at Lord’s
Journalist Devendra Pandey of the Indian Express, speaking on a YouTube segment, suggested that if Rohit isn’t retained in the ODI setup going forward, he would be left with no international cricket at all.
This could prompt him to announce his own retirement, much like what unfolded during the Australia series when he was informed he wouldn’t be part of the squad going forward.
For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.
