NEWS
Follow UsFollowing India's massive 100-run defeat at the hands of England in the second One-Day International (ODI) at Lord's, skipper Rohit Sharma has come out in full support of his predecessor Virat Kohli, whose poor form with the bat continued. Kohli scored 16 off 25 before he edged one to the wicketkeeper off David Willey.
In his previous press conference, Rohit had said that neither he nor the team management listen to the outside noise and are more focussed on their methods as a group.
"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 15).
"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."
Chasing 247, India found themselves in deep trouble when they had lost half their side with just 73 on the board. England too were in a similar situation but their lower-order came to the party as they registered a competitive total in the end.
Rohit reckons there is a lesson to be learnt from the England batters for the way they managed to score nearly 250 despite losing their top-order in quick succession.
"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," Rohit said.
Rohit also insisted on a more positive mindset from the batters when a collapse occurs and adds that the key lies in having small targets.
"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," Rohit explains.
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."
The three-match ODI series currently stands at 1-1 with the decider set to be played on Sunday (July 17) at Old Trafford, Manchester.
