Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar wants experienced opener Rohit Sharma to make small adjustments for the first ODI of the series against New Zealand. Bangar pointed out that Rohit practised on Mumbai’s red soil pitches but the bounce at Vadodara is lower. The former all-rounder wants Rohit to take his time at the crease and then accelerate.
"Rohit Sharma will have to do a mental switch. He practiced on Mumbai's red soil pitches, but Vadodara's bounce is lower. He may need small adjustments, like staying a bit lower and meeting the ball around the knee. But by this level, these things are subconscious. You understand the conditions after 10-15 balls and your body adjusts automatically. There is no need for big changes. It is more about getting into batting rhythm and feeling motivated again. Players look forward to the competition and adrenaline. It is a game of instinct. They will rely on that, just as they did in practice," Bangar said on JioStar's 'Follow The Blues'.
Bangar feels Rohit is motivated to play the ODI World Cup 2027. However, he has made changes to his all-out attack approach which he followed in ODI World Cup 2023 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The former all-rounder went on to say that Rohit will be tested by new ball bowlers on South African pitches in ODI World Cup 2027.
"There is no doubt about Rohit Sharma's class. He will repeat his 2025 success in 2026. He is very motivated and I like that he is not being over-aggressive. We know his natural rhythm. The main focus is the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, where the new ball will test him. He is batting with the right rhythm and will score well. This gives the team a strong start. Playing the new ball well is very important. One-day rules have changed, so keeping wickets in hand is key. The very aggressive approach we saw from him in the 2023 World Cup, I think we will see less of that now," the 53-year-old said.
Bangar lauds Rohit, Kohli for playing domestic cricket
Rohit warmed up for the New Zealand series by playing a couple of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 matches. He scored a menacing 155 against Sikkim but departed for a duck against Uttarakhand. Earlier, he scored two fifties against the Proteas in a three-ODI series. Before that, he scored a century and a half-century on Australia tour.
Bangar is happy that Rohit and Virat Kohli answered the call to play domestic cricket, motivating the youngsters of their respective teams.
"The number of runs does not matter as much. Even if Kohli and Rohit don't score in a few matches, what they are trying to do is very important. When players with over 350 matches still go and play domestic cricket, it is a big motivation for any young player. The whole ecosystem BCCI has set up requires you to play domestic cricket when you are available," Bangar said.
Rohit’s record against New Zealand
The last time Rohit played an ODI against New Zealand was in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final. He scored 76 runs from 83 deliveries helping India win the match by four wickets. The opener has a decent record against the Kiwis. From 29 innings, he has scored 1,073 runs against the BlackCaps, averaging 38.32. He has two centuries and six fifties against them.