India opener Rohit Sharma is enduring a lean run in the ongoing three-match ODI series against England. The former India skipper has scored 11 and 26 in the first two ODIs so far, and his form has become a cause for concern for the Indian cricket team.
His knock of 26 in the second ODI came off 47 balls, even as India suffered a four-wicket loss to England. The opener's lean run in recent matches has prompted questions over his returns at the top of the order.
However, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak dismissed suggestions that there was any major technical concern with Rohit's batting. “See, I don't think a big player like Rohit Sharma can have any sort of pressure.
"He's too good a player to feel that. Yes, he didn't get runs in the opening two matches, but I don't think that makes any difference. But today, it also looked like he'd probably get a good inning out. But that's okay,” Kotak said at the post-match press conference.
Sitanshu Kotak predicts ‘completely different’ innings from Rohit Sharma at Lord's
The batting coach stressed that every batter, regardless of reputation or experience, goes through phases when finding rhythm is difficult. According to Kotak, such periods should not automatically be viewed as signs of a prolonged slump.
“See, honestly, I have played a lot of cricket, and I have seen a lot of cricket. On a day, there are a lot of batters I have seen, they don't get that momentum that they are looking for, and that can happen. You might see a completely different innings from Rohit Sharma at Lord's,” he added.
Kotak also rejected the suggestion that Rohit was "struggling" with his batting, pointing instead to the conditions and the nature of the Cardiff surface.
He felt the Indian captain never quite received deliveries in the areas where he is most effective, making it difficult for him to play his natural attacking game.
“So, I don't, I wouldn't use the word he was struggling, but, maybe the shots he normally plays on the up and all, which is because of the double bounce, probably he felt it was not comfortable and Shubman got a quick start, then Virat got a quick start, but, he didn't get probably balls in his slot, or he didn't get going. That's what I felt," Kotak said.
"So, I wouldn't say, because you could definitely see the completely different innings from a player like Rohit, and I think that I have seen that happening to a lot of batters. So, it's not just Rohit, who, I wouldn't use the word, he was struggling,” added the former Saurashtra cricketer.
With the series currently level at 1-1, Sharma will be hoping to come good and prove his doubters wrong in the third and final ODI at Lord’s on Sunday.
