India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has downplayed that veteran batter Rohit Sharma is under any pressure amid the ongoing ODI series against England. 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.
“I don’t think a player as big as Rohit can feel the pressure,” Kotak said, addressing the media after the Cardiff game.
“He’s too good a player to feel that. Yes he hasn’t scored in two games. I don’t think that makes any difference. But today also it looked like he’ll get a good innings but that’s okay [that he didn’t get a big score].”
Kotak is optimistic that Rohit would be able to turn a corner in the last game of the series at Lord’s.
“On a [given] day, there are a lot of batters I have seen, they don’t get that momentum what they are looking for, and that can happen,” Kotak said.
“You might see [a] completely different innings from Rohit Sharma in Lord’s. I wouldn’t use the word struggling, but maybe the shots he normally plays on the up, which is because of the double bounce, probably he felt it was not comfortable.
“Shubman got a quick start, then Virat got a quick start, but he [Rohit] probably didn’t get balls in his slot.
“You could definitely see a completely different innings from a player like Rohit and I have seen that happening to a lot of batters. So it’s not just Rohit. I wouldn’t use the word he was struggling.”
The decider of the three-match series between England and India will be played at Lord’s on Sunday.

