Top News

Rohit Sharma scored 73 runs but still did not look in rhythmImage Credit source: PTI

After Perth, the story did not change for the Indian team in Adelaide too and Australia won the second ODI match and won the series. In this match also, Team India had to suffer the consequences of poor batting and fielding. Like the first ODI match, star batsman Virat Kohli failed to open the account in the second ODI, which surprised everyone. However, this time former captain Rohit Sharma definitely played a half-century innings, but did his innings overshadow Team India? Did Rohit cause a loss to the team to save his place?

Rohit failed in Perth, played in Adelaide

In the first match played against Australia in Perth, Rohit Sharma was out after scoring only 8 runs. In that match too, the star opener seemed troubled in the beginning in front of the Australian pace attack. This was Rohit's first international match in 7 months and his first cricket match in four and a half months. In such a situation, his failure was not surprising and hence more eyes were on him in the second match and it was very important for him to score runs in this match.

This series has happened at a time when questions are being raised on Rohit's international career. He wants to play the 2027 World Cup but the team management does not seem to be in favor of it. In such a situation, two consecutive failures could have made it difficult for Rohit, but in the second match, he spent a long time at the crease and played an inning of 73 runs. While on one hand Virat Kohli could not open his account for the second consecutive match, on the other hand this innings of Rohit was very important and encouraging for him.

It is important to know this truth about Rohit's batting

But was this innings of 'Hitman' really good for the team? Was Rohit really more focused on achieving his own rhythm? There are some special reasons behind this question. Rohit faced 97 balls in this match and scored 73 runs, which included 7 fours and 2 sixes. But seeing Rohit's start during this period, it was difficult to say whether he was in rhythm at all or was trying to play fast as per the format. Till the first 10 overs, his score was 19 runs from 43 balls and till the 18th over, his score was 30 runs from 62 balls. That means a strike rate of less than 50.

Rohit hit 2 sixes in the 19th over, after which the pace increased a bit. But till the end the situation remained that the star opener kept struggling to bat openly and gain rhythm. Overall, no runs were scored on 57 balls in Rohit's innings, out of which he was out on one of them. His strike rate was only 75.25. If we look at his career, the last time he faced more than 50 balls in an ODI match, his worse strike rate was against West Indies on 15 December 2019, i.e. about 6 years ago, when he scored 36 runs (64.28 strike rate) in 56 balls.

Where is Rohit's 'intention'?

In the last 5 years, especially since 2023, Rohit had changed his style of playing as captain in ODI and T20 cricket. At the age of 36-37, Rohit changed his style and adopted the path of aggressive batting, the benefit of which was visible in the World Cup 2023, T20 World Cup 2024 and to some extent in the Champions Trophy. Rohit was the captain of the team at that time and he had made it clear that he would bat for the team in a carefree, selfless and fearless manner, so that the subsequent batsmen would benefit. The 'intent' batting that Rohit used to talk about was missing.

So now has Rohit given up this style? Is Rohit more focused on saving his career at the moment? It is true that Australia's bowling was good and other batsmen also faced problems, but was it difficult for a batsman like Rohit to play big shots once set? Or are all these the side effects of batting after a long time, due to which Rohit was not able to bat like that which gave him special recognition in the last 2-3 years? The answer to all this will probably be available only after Rohit's next innings.