NEW DELHI: Following the short-lived returns of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the first ODI against Australia, India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak came up with a somewhat strange explanation for their disappointing performances.
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Both batsmen failed to hit the ground running in Perth, departing for a duck and 8 runs respectively after an anticipated return to the international stage following a seven-month break.
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Questions emerged during the press conference regarding their preparedness and potential "rustiness" after the long layoff.
When asked directly if the veteran duo looked rusty, Kotak delivered a counter in his press conference: "I do not think so."
He followed this by offering his rationale for the poor outing. "They played the IPL. The preparation has been very good. I think it was the weather," he asserted, placing the blame not on the players' form, but on external factors.
Kotak strangely suggested that the frequent rain interruptions during the match were the primary reason behind the pair’s poor show.
He explained the difficulty of maintaining concentration: "It would have been the same if Australia had come out to bat first. It is not easy when there are four or five interruptions and every two overs you are going in and coming back out."
The coach also strongly dismissed concerns about their long seven-month layoff, stressing that players of their stature and experience do not require constant oversight from the management.
"Both of them are very experienced. Before coming to Australia, they had proper preparation," Kotak stated, adding that the team had access to their fitness updates and preparation videos from the NCA.
He elaborated on the managerial approach with senior players: "With such senior players, you do not need to step in right away if you see they are doing the right things. If you try to get involved too much, that might not be the best approach."
He concluded by expressing confidence in their form: "Both Virat and Rohit looked in good touch. They batted well in the nets yesterday. I believe they are doing well, to be honest."
