Ahead of the second ODI against Afghanistan, Indian spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule hailed opener Rohit Sharma as a champion cricketer, noting that the 39-year-old veteran is putting in work as if he just started playing. Team India will face Afghanistan in Lucknow, leading the series 1-0.
Rohit's recent form and speculation
Rohit, after strong performances in ODIs away in Australia and at home against South Africa, tapered off against New Zealand at home with just 61 runs in three innings and a best score of 25. In the previous match against Afghanistan, he scored just 16 runs before an unfortunate run-out ended his innings. A dip in form, combined with a recent hamstring injury and modest IPL numbers for Mumbai Indians (283 runs in nine matches at a strike rate over 157, with two fifties), has sparked rumors about his international future ahead of the 2027 World Cup, when he will be 40.
Bahutule's praise for Rohit
Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Sairaj Bahutule said, "Rohit is definitely an experienced player. He's a champion cricketer. He adds value to this team with his experience, not only batting-wise but his leadership qualities also rub off on all the boys, including Shubman Gill. His presence in the side is very important. He understands each game and what is expected from him and the team." He added, "He is looking forward to every match, and all the work he is putting in is like he has just started playing."
KL Rahul's impressive performances
Sairaj also praised KL Rahul, who played a quickfire 39* off 19 balls in a rain-curtailed 25-over chase of around 190 runs. This came just days after he scored a century against Afghanistan in the one-off Test as an opener. Bahutule said, "He is a fabulous player who adapts to conditions quickly, as proven in these two games. No matter where you send him to bat, he will perform, understand the situation, and deliver. He will be an important member of the team."
In 18 ODIs since last year, KL has scored 548 runs in 15 innings at an average of 68.5 and a strike rate over 114, with a century and two fifties, switching between anchor and aggressor roles effortlessly.
