Virat Kohli Will Reflect, Adapt and Come Back With Better Plans: Abhishek Nayar

“Initially, Rohit Sharma took his time, but he tried to do what he’s done so well in ODI cricket over the past two years, play with intent and be aggressive. In many ways, though, that was also his undoing, as these weren’t the ideal conditions for the kind of shots he had in mind. I’m sure he’ll reflect on this, but I don’t see any change in his approach going forward; he’s going to stay aggressive," commented JioStar expert Abhishek Nayar about Rohit Sharma's stay at the crease.

"Hopefully, the conditions will be different in Adelaide, but in this game, he looked in good flow. His balance and weight transfer were solid. Perhaps the shot selection could have been better, but it was a very good delivery that dismissed him. His intent was there. In white-ball cricket, when you get out to a ball like that at second slip, sometimes you have to take it on the chin and move on. With all the experience he’s gained over the years, I’m confident he’ll dig deeper and come back stronger next time around,” he added.

On Virat Kohli’s dismissal, he said that “the discussion will always be around playing square of the wicket in Australia. With the extra pace, bounce, and lateral movement on offer, you want to let the ball come to you, play it late and behind the body. That’s slightly different from what Virat has traditionally done here. He’s someone who likes to take charge, walk towards the bowlers, and play in straighter areas. Today was a different challenge. Mitchell Starc seemed one step ahead; he didn’t go for the full and fast deliveries we’re used to seeing, but instead, hit the pitch hard and went across the batter. Yes, there were definite plans against Virat. In white-ball cricket, unlike the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where there was more grass and movement, this was about variation in pace and angles. I’m sure Virat will go back, study his videos, and look at adjustments, maybe playing deeper in the crease or later towards third man could be better options. We saw him work on that during the BGT, and I’m confident he’ll reflect, adapt, and come back with better plans to deliver the runs we all expect from him.”

Speaking on ‘Cricket Live’, JioStar expert Varun Aaron reflected on India’s defeat, that “Virat Kohli has very fond memories of Adelaide. If there’s any ground he’d want to go to after scoring his first duck against Australia, it would be Adelaide, where he began his incredible run during the 2014 Test series. I believe the Adelaide surface will suit the Indians much more than what we saw today. It won’t have as much bounce, will be more even-paced, and there should be less lateral movement. The key for India is not to press the panic button too early. It’s only their first match outside the subcontinent in a long time, so some adjustment is natural. If they lose the second game, there might be concern, but for now, it’s just one of those days. Somebody has to win, somebody has to lose, and today, Australia were simply the better team.”

On India’s bowling combination ahead of the next ODI, he said that “I would play Kuldeep Yadav in place of Washington Sundar. If you look at it, both Washington and Axar are more defensive bowlers in white-ball cricket. They focus on building pressure rather than attacking. Especially today, when the fast bowlers were done, India needed someone who could toss the ball up, extract some spin from the surface, or deceive the batter with the qualities that Kuldeep brings naturally. He’s been sitting in the dugout for far too long, and we all know how effective he can be. I’d definitely play him instead of Washi. You don’t need batting beyond number seven when your top order includes Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul, five world-class batters capable of doing serious damage. It’s time to put the onus on them and play the extra spinner, because at the end of the day, you have to take ten wickets to win matches.”