It was the over before Will Jacks put an end to Rohit Sharma’s struggles. Two deliveries into left-arm seamer Sam Curran’s first over of the afternoon – the sort of variety that has troubled the 39-year-old in the past, Virat Kohli walked up to his longtime teammate to share a short message: “Take your time.”
The run-rate was 6.43, with Kohli ensuring the intent shown by skipper Shubman Gill at the top wasn’t going to be compromised.
For the second time in this series, the conditions offered an even contest. And the one who was put to the maximum test was Rohit, a batsman who right through his 47-ball stay struggled for rhythm. The right-hander rarely makes ugly runs. He is not just old-school, but stylish as well. But not on Thursday, when the England attack made him uncomfortable.
It was Jofra Archer, who troubled him first up. By the end of the third over, Rohit should already have been walking back to the dressing room. A back-of-length delivery with extra bounce hurried him so much that he ended up scooping the ball high on the legside. It was more of a short-arm pull, which only got the height. But Gus Atkinson, running to his left from fine-leg, made a mess of the chance. That started Rohit’s scrap.
Even as Gill flowed freely and so did Kohli when he walked in and immediately got used to the conditions, Rohit indulged in guesswork. He bid his time. Showed restraint not to play away from the body as Kohli ensured there was no need to worry about the run rate. It was as if Kohli was telling his partner, “Mai hoon na,” each time they fist-pumped.
To be fair to Rohit, he never intended to throw it away. But he wasn’t getting enough deliveries to find his rhythm, and faced only 18 deliveries in the first Powerplay. When he finally pulled one into the stands off Atkinson in the 12th over, he appeared to be getting a hang of it, only for Adil Rashid to compound his problems. Atkinson would repeatedly beat Rohit’s outside edge. The field spread out, but rotating the strike remained in itself for the former captain.
The signs of rustiness were all over Rohit. Like Kohli, he is in uncharted territory – playing only one format. The ODI calendar has too many breaks in between. While Kohli has managed to overcome it by playing the IPL, Rohit spent a considerable time on the bench with injury and returned only for the Afghanistan series. For the ODIs in England, he went early to prepare, but that’s not the same as game time.
There is already plenty of debate around Rohit’s future. If he intends to carry on, the opener has to ensure he doesn’t lose rhythm. Maybe after the ODIs, exploring opportunities on the county circuit may not be a bad option. There are three ODIs lined up in Sri Lanka and then in New Zealand. With no domestic tournaments in India, game time is crucial for Rohit. Otherwise, he may well start counting his last days as an India cricketer.
