I think it is too early to judge them: Kotak backs Ro-Ko ahead of second ODI

India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has thrown his support behind former skippers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli following their disappointing returns with the bat in the series opener against Australia in Perth, attributing their struggles to the challenging weather conditions rather than a lack of preparation.

Rohit and Kohli, who were making their first international appearance since the ICC Champions Trophy in March, failed to make an impact in Sunday’s rain-affected contest. While Rohit managed only 8 off 14 balls, Kohli was dismissed for a rare duck, his first ever on Australian soil, as India went down to the hosts by seven wickets (DLS) in a 26-overs-per-side encounter.

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Addressing the media ahead of the second ODI in Adelaide, Kotak defended the seasoned pair, emphasising that their preparation for the series had been thorough but the repeated weather interruptions disrupted their rhythm.

“Both of them are very experienced. I think it was the weather. 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,” Kotak told reporters on Wednesday.

“Before coming to Australia, they had proper preparation. I think it is too early to judge them. They just retired from Test cricket and are still playing IPL. We are very much aware of what preparations they are doing, what their fitness status is. They also go to the National Cricket Academy. What they are doing there, their video, obviously, I have (watched them),” he added.

Kotak’s comments about passing the judgement from one outing were earlier echoed by former India head coach Ravi Shastri and Australian legend Ricky Ponting in the ICC Review, after the veteran duo’s comeback sparked widespread debate over whether they can sustain their careers through to the next World Cup, to be held in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

“When you come back from a long layoff, you are obviously going to be rusty,” Shastri noted.

Backing the duo, Ponting felt it was only a matter of time before Rohit and Kohli regain their rhythm and cautioned their naysayers against writing them off. “Finding your rhythm and tempo is the biggest thing. When you’ve had a break, just getting back used to the rhythm and the tempo of the 50-over game again, it takes a little bit of time for anybody,” Ponting said.

“But I say it all the time, you don’t write off champion players ever. And these two guys have been two of the best, and while I’m on record saying I think Virat’s the best 50-over player I’ve ever seen, you don’t write them off. They’ll find a way to contribute and win games for their team, and if they do that, then they’ll most likely be in that World Cup team in 2027,” he had asserted.

Meanwhile, Kotak also explained his philosophy on working with seasoned campaigners like Rohit and Kohli, suggesting that minimal intervention is often the best approach.

“You have to find the right time to intervene. I am a big believer in that. With such senior players, you don’t want to intervene if it’s not required. If they are doing things right and you’re still trying to get involved, it may not be the right approach,” Kotak said.

“I think both of them have a lot of experience. Obviously, they are playing IPL and they are constantly playing. Before coming to Australia, they had time in their preparations, and they have done it,” he added.

The match also marked the duo’s first international outing after announcing their retirement from Test cricket in May this year.

However, their comeback did not unfold as expected. Rohit was undone by a sharp Josh Hazlewood delivery, while Mitchell Starc dismissed Kohli for an eight-ball duck.