India captain Rohit Sharma's lean patch only got extended in the first ODI against England in Nagpur on February 6. India comfortably won the match but captain Rohit once again disappointed with the bat as he could only score 2 off 7 before falling prey to Saqib Mahmood.
Meanwhile, India's spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin has given his two cents on all the talks around Rohit Sharma's batting struggles. Ashwin said that cricketers face scrutiny when their performance dips, and the only way for India captain to silence critics is to deliver with the bat. Prior to the ODI series, Rohit had also reacted sharply to a reporter's question about his comfort level transitioning from red-ball to white-ball cricket.
Ashwin described Rohit's situation as a 'catch 22'. However, he reposed full faith in Rohit and is confident that the Indian captain would score a century soon, which would help take off the pressure answer all the questions directed towards his concerning form.
It's a catch-22 situation: R Ashwin on Rohit Sharma's lean patch
"This is not easy. If you look at it from Rohit's POV, then obviously, it is frustrating for him. He wants to concentrate on the series. He thinks that I've done well in this format and I'd like to continue. I'm going into the tournament with a lot of confidence on the back of the one-day tournaments that I've played," Ashwin said while speaking on his YouTube channel.
"But people will ask questions. The ones who are watching will obviously ask. It's a catch-22 situation. You can't stop these questions. When will they stop? When he performs," Ashwin further stated.
Rohit's recent struggles with the bat continued in the first ODI against England in Nagpur. He was dismissed for a mere two runs off seven deliveries. This low score adds to a concerning trend for the Indian captain, who has only managed a total of 166 runs across his last 16 innings in all formats of the game.
"But as a cricketer, I understand what Rohit is going through. It's not easy. I pray that he does well and scores a century in this series," Ashwin concluded.
Meanwhile, the second ODI between India and England is scheduled to take place in Cuttack on Sunday, February 9. Rohit has had some success at this venue in the past. In his last appearance there, against the West Indies in December 2019, he scored a quickfire 63 runs off just 63 balls. Rohit will look to find his mojo back given his good track record at the venue.
