Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak doesn’t see ‘any issues’ with captain Rohit Sharma’s poor batting form in the last six months. Speaking in a press conference on Saturday, he gave example of Rohit’s recent ODI numbers, including from the three matches against Sri Lanka in 2023 where he smashed two 50s in a lost series, to say that he has only had a Test ‘lean patch’ after some consistent ODI shows as well.

“I personally don’t see any issue with his form. In his last three ODIs, Rohit has scored 56, 64, and 35,” Kotak said on the eve of the second ODI at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, as quoted by PTI. “That means he has been averaging over 50 in those matches. We are talking about a player who has 31 ODI centuries. When someone keeps scoring, no one questions when they will fail. Sometimes, a player might have a lean patch, but that doesn’t worry me. Yes, in the Australia Test matches, it was tough, and he got out early, but in ODIs, he has been performing consistently. So, there’s no real concern about his form.”

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However, these are the last ODIs for India before the 2025 Champions Trophy starts on February 19 in Pakistan and the UAE (which will host all of Team India’s matches). Kotak also opined on the ‘plenty of positives’ he saw in the first ODI, including the stunning shows from the middle-order of Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel.

“We lost two early wickets, but there were plenty of positives, especially how our No. 3, 4, and 5 batted. Two big partnerships stood out. Gill, Shreyas, and Axar all played really well. In any match, you might lose wickets, whether it’s the openers or the middle order. But overall, as a batting unit, we showed great intent. Even when the required rate was nearly 9-10 runs per over, we didn’t let them gain control,” Sitanshu Kotak concluded.