India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has defended senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of the second ODI of the three-match series against Australia. Kotak said that Virat and Rohit do not need any intervention from coaches during international assignments given their experience and professionalism.
Kohli and Rohit made their return to international cricket during the first ODI against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth on 19 October. However, the batting pair recorded scores of 0 and 8 respectively in India’s seven-wicket defeat. The Indian team will face Australia in the second match on Thursday, October 23 in Adelaide.
We are very conscious about preparations – Sitanshu Kotak
Before the second ODI against Australia, Sitanshu Kotak talked about the form of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Kotak said he is aware of his fitness and training routine, which also includes sessions at the National Cricket Academy. He also said that intervention should be done only when necessary.
“Look, we are well aware of what they are preparing, what is their fitness status. They also go to the National Cricket Academy. Videos of what they are doing there… Obviously, I will have [watched them]But honestly, not always,” Kotak said.
He said, “You have to take time to intervene. I am a big believer in it. With such senior players, you don’t want to intervene if it is not necessary. If they are doing things right and you are still trying to get involved, it may not always be the right thing to do.”
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have a lot of experience – Sitanshu Kotak
After staying away from international cricket, there were concerns about the war between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Sitanshu Kotak dismissed these doubts, citing his IPL participation and preparation before the tour.
Kotak said, “I think both of them have a lot of experience. Obviously, they have been playing IPL and they have been playing consistently. Before coming to Australia, they had time to prepare for themselves and they have done that.”
Rohit Sharma edged a delivery from Josh Hazlewood, while Virat Kohli was out for a duck off Mitchell Starc after just eight balls. India’s team struggled due to early dismissals of key batsmen and due to rain, the team scored a total of 136/9 in 26 overs.
Preparation has been very good – Sitanshu Kotak
Sitanshu Kotak said that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma did not look bad in the first ODI, adding that they struggled due to the challenging weather conditions. Kotak also pointed out that both the players had prepared well through the IPL and training sessions.
“I don’t think so. They played the IPL. The preparation has been very good. Like I said, I thought the weather definitely played a role in the first game. Because I think it would have been the same if Australia had batted. It’s not easy to plan when you don’t know how many overs you have to bat,” Kotak said.
Virat and Rohit have played 577 ODI matches together, in which they have scored more than 25,000 runs. Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar are cautious about his inclusion in the 2027 ODI World Cup squad.
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