"Personally don't think there's any problem" - Team India's batting coach downplays concern over Rohit Sharma's form ahead of IND vs ENG 2025 2nd ODI

Team India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has downplayed concerns over skipper Rohit Sharma's form ahead of the second one-dayer against England at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack. Admitting that that right-handed batter struggled in Australia, Kotak asserted that the Hitman has been consistent in ODIs.

Having taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, the Men in Blue will be keen to go 2-0 up when they face England in Cuttack on Sunday, February 9. India impressed with the ball in the opening one-dayer in Nagpur as debutant Harshit Rana and Ravindra Jadeja claimed three scalps each. In the chase, three batters hit fifties but Rohit was out for two off seven, looking completely out of sorts.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference on the eve of the Cuttack ODI, India's batting coach Kotak dismissed all concerns over skipper Rohit's form and asserted (as quoted by Cricbuzz):

"I personally don't think there's any problem. The last 3 one-dayers Rohit has played, he has scored 58, 64 and 35. The guy has got 31 one-day hundreds. Sometimes whenever there's a little lean patch, I don't think I'd be worried or thinking about their form.

"Yes in Tests in Australia it was a tough time. About one-dayers, he's always been scoring runs so not concerned," the 52-year-old added.

Rohit was the top run-getter in India's previous one-day series, which was played in Sri Lanka in August 2024. Even as the Men in Blue went down 2-0 in the three-match series, the opening batter scored 157 runs at an average of 52.33.

---

"What kind of a question is that?" - Rohit Sharma was irked by a reporter's query over his poor form

Rohit addressed the media ahead of the opening ODI against England in Nagpur. At the press conference, he was irked by a query over his poor form. Asked about his disappointing performance in Australia, he replied:

"What kind of a question is that? This is a different format, different time. As usual, as cricketers, we know there will be ups and downs and I have faced a lot in my career so this is nothing new to me. We know every day is a fresh day, every series is a fresh series."

Overall, Rohit has an impressive record in the one-day format. In 266 matches, the 37-year-old has amassed 10,868 runs at an average of 48.95 and a strike rate of 92.39, with 31 hundreds and 57 half-centuries to his name.