Former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron has shed light on Rohit Sharma’s knock in the second ODI against England at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on Thursday. Rohit looked a bit rusty in 47-ball 26-run knock against the hosts and was dismissed after facing nine dot balls on the trot.
The Indian opener was trying to play a sweep shot against Will Jacks but could only manage a bottom edge, which ballooned to England wicket-keeper Jos Butter. Earlier on Tuesday, Rohit was dismissed after scoring 11 runs off 21 balls when he stepped down the track against Sam Curran but holed out to Harry Brook at mid-off.
Aaron highlighted that Rohit had played a similar scratchy knock against Australia before he scored a hundred in the last game.
“The fluidity was definitely not seen. When any player plays just one format for their country, a slight scratchiness is seen. It was seen in Australia as well, but at the end of the day, Rohit played a terrific knock at the SCG. So he has one more chance at Lord’s. You can never count him out. He can generate that one knock which will make everybody feel like Rohit Sharma has never left the building at all,” Varun Aaron said on Star Sports.
The SRH bowling coach said the duo of Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli batted fluently in the same conditions along with Rohit Sharma.
“However, today (Thursday), he was a bit scratchy. Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill were very fluent in the same conditions. So he would have wanted to get it along, especially that one over of Sam Curran, where again the left-arm seamer comes in. He must be thinking about his previous dismissal,” Aaron observed.
Aaron noted that nine consecutive dot balls against Sam Curran and Will Jacks added pressure on Rohit Sharma.
“Was very circumspect, and then when Will Jacks comes on, another three dots. Nine dots in a row, and then he tries to play a sweep, gets the cue end of the bat, and gets out. He would be quite disappointed with his performance,” he noted.
The decider of the three-match series between England and India will be played at Lord’s on Sunday.
