India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak in press conference© BCCI
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma failed to hit the ground running in the first ODI against Australia on Sunday, departing for a duck and 8 runs respectively. With every single game that Kohli and Rohit play being analysed under the microscope, questions emerged over their preparedness for the series opener, considering they had not played any international cricket for the last seven months. However, when India coach Sitanshu Kotak was asked if Kohli and Rohit looked ‘rusty’ at Perth, he launched a strong counter.
However, what was rather strange to see was the fact that the Indian batting coach used the weather as an excuse for the duo’s poor show in the last month. While it is true that rain caused plenty of interruptions in the game, neither Rohit nor Kohli lasted long enough on the pitch to have their focus shaken by the weather conditions.
“I do not think so,” Kotak said in response to the question. “They played the IPL. The preparation has been very good. I think it was the weather. It would have been the same if Australia had come out to bat first. It is not easy when there are four or five interruptions and every two overs you are going in and coming back out.”
Kotak quashed the concerns around Kohli and Rohit’s preparations when asked if he was in touch with them over the 7-month break. He said that the management is not required to step in so early, considering the experience and stature of the players.
“Both of them are very experienced. Before coming to Australia, they had proper preparation. I think it is too early to judge them. They just retired from Test cricket. Coming into the series, we were aware of their fitness levels and the preparation work they had been doing. We had access to their videos from the NCA. With such senior players, you do not need to step in right away if you see they are doing the right things. If you try to get involved too much, that might not be the best approach,” Kotak said.
“Both Virat and Rohit looked in good touch. They batted well in the nets yesterday. I believe they are doing well, to be honest,” he added.
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