Adelaide [Australia], October 22 : Ahead of the second ODI against Australia, India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak remains optimistic about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's form, citing their strong IPL experience and preparation, despite their disappointing return to international cricket in the first ODI against the Aussies.
The series opener marked the much-awaited return of Kohli and Sharma to competitive cricket since they retired from Tests earlier this year.
The pair made a much-anticipated return to an international fixture since the ICC Champions Trophy Final at the start of March, when they contributed modest returns with the bat against Australia in Perth on Sunday.
On their return, the duo flopped with Rohit posting 8(14), while Virat returned with an eight-ball duck. Moreover, persistent rain made it difficult for India to post a daunting total, as they lost the game by seven wickets.
"I don't think there was any rustiness. They played the IPL, and their preparation has been very good. I think both of them have a lot of experience. Even before coming to Australia, their preparations were excellent. So I think it's too early to even think like that," Kotak told the reporters.
"They both look in very good touch to me. They batted really well yesterday. Every net session, their approach has been excellent," he added.
Kotak said that BCCI kept tabs on Ro-Ko's fitness and practice routines through updates from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and stated, "You need to find the right time to intervene, and with senior players, you don't want to intervene if it's not required."
"We were very much aware of what preparations they were making and their fitness status. They sometimes go to the National Cricket Academy. We get updates and videos from there, what they're doing, their practice routines, fitness work," Kotak added.
"But not always, to be very honest. You need to find the right time to intervene. With such senior players, you don't want to intervene unless it's necessary. If they are doing things right and you still try to get involved, it may not be the right thing to do always," he said.
Kotak attributed India's struggle in the first ODI against Australia to the challenging weather conditions, citing frequent rain interruptions and uncertainty over the number of overs to be bowled.
"I think it would have been the same if Australia had batted first. When you don't know how many overs you're going to bat, it's not easy to plan with four or five rain breaks. Going in and out every few overs, it's difficult. I think it was more about the weather, to be very honest. In the last game, obviously, we lost a couple of wickets early, but I'm not really thinking too much about it," Kotak concluded.
India is set to clash with Australia in a must-win scenario on Thursday at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide to level the series 1-1, while the Aussies will be aiming to win the second ODI and seal the series.