Cricket icon Sunil Gavaskar has voiced strong belief that Indian mainstays Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are poised to make significant contributions in the upcoming second ODI against Australia in Adelaide, following their subdued performances in Perth. Gavaskar anticipates big scores from the duo, emphasizing that it’s simply a matter of getting more time at the crease and in the nets to hit their stride.
Both Kohli and Rohit were returning to international cricket after a seven-month hiatus and found the challenging Perth pitch unforgiving, scoring 0 and 8 runs respectively. Australia capitalized on India’s batting woes, securing a comfortable seven-wicket victory and taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Gavaskar, however, was quick to defend the star batsmen, highlighting the difficulty of adapting to Perth’s notoriously bouncy surface after such a prolonged break.
“They were playing on arguably the bounciest pitch in Australia. It was never going to be easy, especially for players who haven’t played international cricket for a couple of months. It was a tough challenge even for younger talents like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, who are regularly playing,” Gavaskar shared in an interview with India Today.
The former India captain remains highly optimistic about India’s chances, underscoring that once Kohli and Rohit spend more time batting and practicing, their innate touch will swiftly return.
“India still possesses an exceptionally strong team. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Rohit and Kohli go on to score massive runs in the next two matches. The more they play and train, the quicker they will find their rhythm. Once they are back among the runs, India’s total will consistently reach 300 or even higher,” Gavaskar added.
The second ODI in Adelaide is particularly promising for a turnaround, especially for Kohli, who boasts an impressive record at the venue. In four ODIs at Adelaide Oval, he has amassed 244 runs at an average of 61, including two centuries. His Test record there is even more outstanding, with 537 runs in five matches at an average of 53.70, featuring three remarkable hundreds.