New Delhi, Oct 23 (NationPress) Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar opines that Rohit Sharma's 73-run performance in the second ODI against Australia will provide him with significant satisfaction, even though he fell short of a century at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

After returning to international cricket, Rohit managed only eight runs in the series opener in Perth, leading to considerable criticism directed towards the former India captain. However, he answered his detractors with a commendable innings in the following match, supported by Shreyas Iyer's 61, helping India post a total of 264/9 in 50 overs. Despite not achieving a favorable outcome, this innings is sure to uplift the spirits of the opening batsman.

Matthew Short (74) and Cooper Connolly (61 not out) from the Australian side guided their team to victory in 46.2 overs, securing a 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match series.

“As a player, some of your major hundreds or double centuries might fade from memory, but certain innings linger, particularly those that require tenacity. Rohit Sharma may not recall this innings solely for the runs, but knowing him, he will derive immense satisfaction from it. Scoring in challenging conditions offers a distinct joy, similar to a bowler taking wickets on a flat pitch,” Nayar stated on JioStar’s ‘Cricket Live’.

“Rohit may feel let down for not converting his innings into a bigger score, but deep inside, he understands the effort it took to score each run today. His determination was notable. What stood out for me about this Indian team today was their resilience. Even when Australia appeared to be on course for an easy win, they continued to fight back. Rohit epitomized that spirit, capitalizing on every loose delivery he encountered. His innings were characterized by that intent and grit.”

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel remarked that spinner Kuldeep Yadav is expected to feature in India’s lineup for the third and final ODI of the series.

“We can certainly expect to see Kuldeep Yadav in action for the third ODI. Regarding the team composition, India must have faith in their top order, both in terms of performance and runs, to maintain the right balance. There’s no necessity for additional padded batting. Kuldeep Yadav can deliver those vital wickets in the middle overs that India has been lacking. If the top-order batsmen fall early, that’s just part of the game,” he stated.

“You can’t keep adding more batsmen to mitigate that. The emphasis should be on assembling the most effective combination to clinch victory. On a lighter note, the support staff should encourage Captain Shubman Gill to practice the coin toss while en route to Sydney, as the toss has significantly influenced the matches thus far. The ball swung considerably, just as it did in Perth. Even though Australia has secured the series 2-0, India has demonstrated commendable cricket, especially given their limited preparation time,” the former batter concluded.