Former India coach Ravi Shastri came to the defense of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after their underwhelming returns in the first ODI against Australia at Optus Stadium on Sunday, October 19. Both seasoned batters failed to reach double figures, as India suffered a rain-affected seven-wicket defeat to Mitchell Marsh’s side.
Rohit Sharma initially looked positive, striking an early boundary after India was asked to bat under Shubman Gill’s captaincy debut in ODIs. However, he fell soon after, edging a rising delivery from Josh Hazlewood in the fourth over to the slips. Virat Kohli struggled against disciplined Australian seamers and close-in fielders, unable to find his rhythm.
He was eventually dismissed for an eight-ball duck, caught by Cooper Connolly at point off Mitchell Starc. Shastri noted that the two veterans faced challenging conditions and circumstances in their first match back after a long break, making it a tough outing for them.
“I mean, they came back, they got caught on a dodgy pitch. It was a good toss to win for Australia and then the weather was such that it was not easy. When you come back from a long layoff, you are obviously going to be rusty,” the former coach said on ICC Review ahead of the second ODI.
“It’s not easy for any overseas team to land in Australia, say, two days prior to a game in Perth and adjust to those conditions straight away, especially when you have that extra bounce and against quality fast bowlers. But I think only time will tell. They’ll go to Adelaide, they have some time off to get into the nets, get their minds sorted and get back into action,” he added.
“Hunger And Passion Key As Rohit, Kohli Return; No Rush To Judge After One Match”- Shastri
Ravi Shastri emphasized that hunger and passion are crucial in the concluding phase of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s careers, while noting that he wouldn’t rush to judge them based on their single appearance since returning.
“So I’m in no hurry to judge, but it’s when you come back at that age, after some time, it’s about how much you’re enjoying the sport and how much hunger is there and passion is left in you to play the game.”
“So if you tick the boxes in two out of those three, especially the enjoyment part of it, then you can give them both time because they’ve got class, they’ve got experience and a little bit of time will sort things out. But I’d rather wait than jump and judge immediately,” he further elaborated.
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