‘Too early to judge them…’: India coach breaks silence on Kohli and Rohit’s ODI failure

Nonetheless, it was surprising to hear the Indian batting coach attribute the duo’s underwhelming performance to the weather. Although the match was interrupted several times due to rain, neither Rohit nor Kohli spent enough time at the crease for the conditions to have significantly affected their concentration.

“I do not think so,” Kotak said in response to the question. “They played the IPL. The preparation has been very good. I think it was the weather. It would have been the same if Australia had come out to bat first. It is not easy when there are four or five interruptions and every two overs you are going in and coming back out.”

In response to a question about whether he had communicated with Rohit and Kohli over their seven-month gap, Kotak dismissed concerns about their preparations. He stated that given their talent and experience, the management saw no need for immediate intervention.

“Both of them are very experienced. Before coming to Australia, they had proper preparation. I think it is too early to judge them. They just retired from Test cricket. Coming into the series, we were aware of their fitness levels and the preparation work they had been doing. We had access to their videos from the NCA. With such senior players, you do not need to step in right away if you see they are doing the right things. If you try to get involved too much, that might not be the best approach,” Kotak said.

“Both Virat and Rohit looked in good touch. They batted well in the nets yesterday. I believe they are doing well, to be honest,” he added.