India may have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against England, but concerns remain over the form of skipper Rohit Sharma and the fitness of Virat Kohli. While Kohli missed the first ODI due to a knee issue, Rohit’s struggles with the bat continued, raising questions about India’s top order ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Rohit’s last few outings haven’t been impressive at all, and his poor run of form continued into the first ODI in Nagpur, where he was dismissed for a mere two runs by Saqib Mahmood. He got out early, which placed India under pressure right away and added to the growing debate on his form.
With the Champions Trophy around the corner, experts have been vocal about the need for Rohit to get his touch back. One of them is former World Cup winner Suresh Raina, who feels that once the Indian skipper starts scoring runs, his approach and leadership will look totally different.
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“I think this wicket would have been a good one for Rohit Sharma’s comeback had he applied himself a bit more. Now, the team will move to Cuttack, where he could also perform well. If he finds form before the Champions Trophy, then we’ll see a different kind of captain and a different kind of approach from him,” Suresh Raina said while speaking on the Sports18 network.
Meanwhile, Kohli’s absence from the opening match was a rare occurrence in his career, making his fitness a major talking point. Raina also highlighted the importance of having the top three—Rohit, Kohli, and Shubman Gill—playing together in the remaining ODIs.
“That is why it’s an important question of whether Virat Kohli will come back in time or not, and playing with all the three up the order for these two matches before that major tournament would really matter,” added Suresh Raina.
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When it is hosted next at Cuttack, fans would see how Rohit comes out again into form or Virat returns, as if to give their top order batsman some confidence again.
