Abhishek Nayar believes Rohit Sharma will be disappointed that he failed to convert a promising start into a substantial score during India’s second ODI defeat to England in Cardiff. While the veteran opener managed only 26 runs from 47 deliveries, the former India assistant coach insisted that Rohit’s approach was appropriate given the challenging batting conditions.
The Sophia Gardens surface offered plenty of movement for the seamers, forcing India’s top order to adopt a cautious approach. Rohit, who now plays only ODI cricket for India, chose to spend time at the crease before looking to accelerate. Nayar felt that strategy was justified, especially with the new ball swinging and seaming throughout the opening overs.
Speaking on Star Sports’ Game Plan, Nayar explained that judging Rohit’s innings solely by his strike rate would be unfair. Instead, he pointed out that the experienced opener would be more frustrated about missing the opportunity to convert his innings into a match-defining knock.
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“Conditions are important. You have to respect the conditions. In this game, the ball was seaming and doing a bit, so you expect Rohit Sharma to take time as he is not playing all formats. He also understands and will reflect. After a point, after Sam Curran’s over, it looked like he was under pressure. Other than that, I felt the tempo was fine. I am not so worried about the strike rate. But normally, when he gets to 26, he goes on to score a fifty. That’s what he would be concerned about,” Abhishek Nayar said.
Rohit’s innings came to an end when he attempted a sweep against off-spinner Will Jacks but only managed a top edge that England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler safely collected. Nayar believes the dismissal had more to do with the batter feeling stuck in the middle rather than any technical flaw.
He also noted that Rohit rarely struggles against off-spinners and backed the veteran to bounce back strongly in the series-deciding third ODI at Lord’s.
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“Rohit does not get out a lot against off-spinners. It looked like he was searching for runs rather than lacking skill. It’s more about the mindset than technique. He is batting well, so I am not concerned,” Abhishek Nayar added.
With the three-match ODI series level at 1-1, all eyes will now be on Rohit Sharma as India look to seal the series at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
