‘Didn’t score in two matches’: India coach delivers verdict on Rohit Sharma amid poor form

India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has backed Rohit Sharma despite a poor opening performance in the ongoing ODI series against England, saying there is no pressure on a player of his stature and he could produce a different innings in the series-deciding match at Lord’s.Rohit’s performances were seen in the second ODI in Cardiff on Thursday, where England won by four wickets to level the three-match series 1-1. The opener never looked composed, scoring just 10 runs from 18 balls by the end of the over, even as India raced to 61/1. He ended up making 26 off 47 balls before being dismissed attempting a sweep against Will Jacks. Rohit has not enjoyed the best drive in ODIs this year. He managed just one half-century in eight matches and averages 30.12. With speculation mounting over whether the selectors could move on from the former India captain ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, Kotak was asked after the defeat in Cardiff if Rohit’s place could come under scrutiny after Sunday’s ODI final.“I think a big player like Rohit doesn’t feel that pressure,” Kotak said after the match.“He’s too good a player to feel that. Yes, he hasn’t scored in two games. I don’t think it’s a difference. But today he also looked like he was going to have a good innings, but that’s OK (that he didn’t get a big score).”While Rohit found it difficult to get going, skipper Shubman Gill got off to a brisk start before falling to 31 off 30 balls. Virat Kohli also got off to a positive start, smashing three boundaries in his first 11 deliveries as England’s bowlers struggled with their lengths early on a pitch that offered variable bounce.READ ALSO: Rohit Sharma no more automatic pick after Lord’s ODIsKotak dismissed the suggestion that Rohit was struggling and said the opener could bounce back in the final ODI at Lord’s.“I’ve seen a lot of batsmen on a (given) day who don’t get the momentum they’re looking for and that can happen,” Kotak said.“You could see (a) completely different innings from Rohit Sharma at Lord’s. I wouldn’t use the word struggling, but maybe the shots he normally plays up, which is because of the double bounce, he probably felt it wasn’t comfortable.“Shubman got off to a quick start, then Virat got off to a quick start but he (Rohit) probably didn’t get the balls in the slot.“You could definitely see completely different innings from a player like Rohit and I’ve seen that happen to a lot of batsmen. So it’s not just Rohit. I wouldn’t use the word he struggled.”India looked set for a bigger total after reaching 178/3, with Kohli 65 and Shreyas Iyer top-scoring with 66. However, after Kohli’s dismissal, the innings lost momentum as India slumped to 193/7 before finishing on 233.England were chasing the target with four wickets in hand to level the three-match ODI series at 1-1. The umpire is played at Lord’s on Sunday.