‘Short on cricket’: India coach explains Rohit Sharma's quiet ODI run amid Virat Kohli surge

Rohit Sharma (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma remain the twin pillars of India’s ODI set-up, and every time the team takes the field in the 50-over format, the spotlight inevitably falls on the two modern greats. With both now active only in ODIs for India, scrutiny around their form, workload and long-term future — including the 2027 ODI World Cup — has only intensified.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! While Kohli has dominated headlines in recent weeks, Rohit has found himself under the scanner during the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand. Kohli, the run-machine who recently climbed back to the No.1 spot in the ICC ODI rankings for the first time since July 2021, has enjoyed a purple patch with five consecutive fifty-plus scores, including two hundreds. The 37-year-old is now second only to Sachin Tendulkar on the all-time international runs list.

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Rohit, currently ranked third in the ICC ODI batting rankings, has endured two modest outings in the series so far — scores of 26 in Vadodara and 24 in Rajkot. However, India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate played down concerns, attributing the lean returns more to match conditions and lack of recent cricket than any technical or tactical issue. “Rohit, I thought tonight particularly, both innings was a real new-ball wicket. It didn’t look easy to bat,” ten Doeschate said. “Over a short period of time, if you take the first ODI, he’s not been as fluent as he has been and that’s going to be a challenge for him, not playing cricket between series.” Asked whether Rohit had consciously altered his approach, the former Netherlands all-rounder dismissed the idea. “I don’t think it’s a conscious approach. He’s such a brutal player, but he’s actually a touch player at the end of the day. He times the ball,” ten Doeschate explained. “As soon as the wickets aren’t very good, it’s going to be difficult for him to look in fluent mode like he normally is.” The assistant coach also stressed Rohit’s team-first mindset. “He’s definitely not the sort of guy to play for himself. It’s just a combination of the wickets being slightly difficult and maybe just being a little bit short on cricket leading into the series.” Despite the recent scrutiny, Rohit’s broader ODI numbers remain reassuring. He struck a century against Australia in Sydney earlier in the season and has three more fifties in his last eight ODI innings. He also returned to domestic cricket under the BCCI’s directive, representing Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he scored a commanding 155 alongside a rare failure.

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