Current Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has once again backed form out Virat Kohli after he was asked about Kohli’s form following India’s loss in the second ODI match against England yesterday.
Rohit Sharma Backs Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli who is considered aa a chase specialist struggles to find his form back and scored only 16 runs in India’s 247 runs chase in the second ODI against England. India fell short of 100 runs and lost the match after the Indian openers failed to build a partnership.
Winning the toss India opt to bowl first where England scored 246 runs for 10 wickets and ended the first inning with an over left to bowl. Chahal picked four wickets while bowling 10 overs at an economy of 4.7.
While chasing, Indian openers struggle to score runs and were dismissed for single-digit score where Rohit walked away without scoring a run.
“He has played for so long, he has played so many matches, he is such a great batsman, so he doesn’t need reassurance,” said Rohit on Thursday (July 16).
“I think in my last press conference I had told form keeps going up and down, I mean it is a part and parcel, whichever cricket player plays, it happens in everyone’s career. So a player who has played for so long, who has scored so many runs, who has won so many matches, he just needs one or two innings, that is what I think, I’m sure that is what everyone would think… whoever watches cricket.
We know on this topic there are discussions, we have seen for so many years that performances of all players go up and down.
But as I had said last time the quality of a player doesn’t become bad, I think we need to keep that in mind, the guy has scored so many runs, you look at his average, he has scored so many hundreds, he has the experience of it. Until now no player has come who has done well whenever he has played. So a bit of slump will come, it comes in everyone’s life..”
Virat Kohli who walked to the pitch with greater responsibility made a decent start and fails to prolong. David Willey in the 12th over dismissed Virat Kohli for 16 runs and scatters Indian fans’ dreams of seeing their favourite player back in form.
“It is also a challenge for us when we lose 5-6 wickets, we need to learn how to score runs lower down the order, we need to focus on this thing as to how to improve our balance and improve our batting, because whatever the situation of the game, if you back yourself, then you will get runs.
We can learn from England how they batted after losing five wickets, they scored 250 runs. We can learn from them how to play,” said Rohit.
“Of course, it has happened for us on a few occasions now, it is something we want to keep in mind moving forward. And we have spoken about that a lot, it has happened in the 2019 World Cup, also the Champions trophy, and a few other games as well where we were put under pressure and we lost wickets and we were 20 for 3 or 40 for 4,
that is where I want the guys to change their mindset a little bit and try and see if they can be a little positive and try and take the game on because I know the target is small, you’re chasing 230-240,
but obviously, is there another way that you can take when you’re chasing s target like that? Is there something different that you can do as a batting unit? I think so, yes, you can.
“More often than not unless you see what is in store, you will never know what to expect. Now, it has happened to us on a few occasions where we were 20 or 30 for 4 but that is where we want these guys to take the game on and see if they can find something different about their own game rather than looking at the team’s goal.
I think if they can get the team out of that situation, imagine the confidence they are going to get from that. So it is something that we have definitely spoken about but it depends on each individual at that particular moment as well.
That is where I think the role of the management comes into play and ask them to play freely and show them that what they trying to do in the middle is absolutely right,” explained Rohit.
India will play the last and series decider ODI match on July 17 in Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester. The match will kickstart earlier compared to the first two ODI matches. The third ODI between India and England will start at 3:30 PM IST.
