'If they are ready to take any inputs, I would have certain things in my mind': India's new batting coach on working with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in nets

'If they are ready to take any inputs, I would have certain things in my mind': India's new batting coach on working with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in nets
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma during a practice session; India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak.

Highlights:

The ODI series against England begins on January 30.

Rohit Sharma is likely to join the camp for ODI series on February 2.

Virat Kohli will make his return to Ranji Trophy on January 30.

In the aftermath of the batting struggles in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Sitanshu Kotak was appointed India's batting coach. Kotak is currently working with the T20I squad. India's senior duo Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will join them shortly ahead of the three-ODI series against England which will also work as preparatory series ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. In the pre-match press conference in Rajkot, Kotak was asked about whether he would like to give his inputs to Rohit and Kohli. Kotak hails the experience the two batters possess and is willing to help them if they want him to.

"See, Rohit and Virat are very senior players, but even the players we have now, it is a lot more about sharing, a lot to try and understand how they are planning their game, where they think and then if we can add something, that is how I think," Kotak told the media.

 

 

"If I can add value to 2%, 5%, that is a great thing, because the amount of cricket they have played and the way they have performed, it would not be unfair to say. There might be a lot of things for me also to learn from them," he added.

 

 

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Kotak also said that he has a few things in his mind that may help the senior top-order batters.

"That is the way this game goes, you have to be open and you have to be ready to learn.

 

 

"If they are in a mindset, during that point of time, if they are ready to take any inputs, yes, I would have certain things in my mind and I will say it, but it has to be at the right time and they should feel that they are ready for that," said the former Saurashtra cricketer.

 

 

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RoKo's Ranji return

Rohit recently made his return to Ranji Trophy after more than nine years. The Mumbai batter scored 31 runs from two innings against Jammu & Kashmir. On the other hand, Kohli will return to Ranji Trophy after more than 12 years. He will play in Delhi's clash against Services starting January 30. Before the series, he had a net session with former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar.