India’s ODI captain Shubman Gill shared his thoughts on Rohit Sharma’s 73-run innings in Adelaide following India’s defeat to Australia in the second ODI. Despite the loss, Gill praised Rohit for his determination and resilience but felt that the senior opener “missed out on a big knock” after getting a strong start.
The ongoing India vs Australia ODI series may not carry major consequences in terms of standings, but it holds great importance for veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as their future in the 50-over format remains under scrutiny. With both players having retired from Tests and T20Is, the 2027 ODI World Cup could mark their potential final chapter in international cricket.
Rohit, who managed only eight runs in the opening ODI at Perth, made a solid comeback in Adelaide by scoring 73 off 85 balls. His composed innings helped India reach a respectable total of 260, though it wasn’t enough as Australia chased the target with two wickets to spare. Despite the defeat, Gill admired Rohit’s effort to fight through the tough early spells from Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Xavier Bartlett.
“It’s never easy to return and play competitive cricket after a break. The initial overs were challenging, but he showed great character. I’m happy with how he batted and fought early on. He definitely missed out on converting it into a big hundred,” Gill said during the post-match presentation.
Rohit, along with Shreyas Iyer, steadied India’s innings with a crucial 118-run partnership for the third wicket. Just when the ‘Hitman’ looked poised for a century, he lost his wicket to Starc in the 30th over. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli’s struggles continued, as he recorded consecutive ducks in the series, further raising questions about his ODI form.
Australia’s successful chase was powered by Matthew Short and Cooper Connolly, who struck half-centuries, while Indian bowlers Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Washington Sundar picked up two wickets each. With this loss, India conceded the three-match series to Australia.