Former Indian batting coach Abhishek Nayar has backed Rohit Sharma to continue playing with an aggressive approach in the second ODI against Australia. Rohit played a couple of aggressive shots in the opening game of the series but could not get his timing right as he was making a return after a long hiatus.
Nayar said Sharma has been batting well in the nets and he must bat with the right space of mind. The former Indian batter said the team’s think tank should give space to Rohit and not give him too much information as he has all the experience under his belt.
Rohit was dismissed after scoring only eight runs off 14 balls at the Optus Stadium, Perth.
“If you focus on his body language after he got out, he was quite relaxed. He was relaxed because he knows he is batting well. He knows that the feel he is getting while batting is good. When you have a good feel, you shouldn’t tamper with the mindset, and he knows that. Give him his space. Don’t give him too much information,” Abhishek Nayar said on Star Sports.
“He will reflect and watch and analyze the videos himself. He will sit with the analyst and make his strategy. He looks easy-going, but strategically and tactically, he thinks a lot about cricket and his game. I believe you will see an aggressive Rohit Sharma. There won’t be much change. He will play the same way he has been playing,” Nayar observed.
Nayar added that Rohit could bat deeper in the crease to give himself more time after he was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood in the first ODI.
“There won’t be mental markers but tactical markers. He might bat deep in the crease, like Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul were doing. He might change his guard. Rohit Sharma is known for hitting even good balls for sixes and fours, and he does that when his mindset is aggressive,” he replied.
“I believe the entire preparation will be about the mindset. He will go to Adelaide just like he did in Perth. He shouldn’t go thinking that he got out in Perth and what would happen if he gets out here. You should go with the mindset that this is your first match, that you will go into it with the same enthusiasm, and give yourself the best chance to score runs. There will be preparation, but the mindset will be aggressive,” Nayar elaborated.
The second ODI between India and Australia will be played at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
