Even amid the emotional theme of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s return to the India fold, Shubman Gill’s maiden outing as full-time ODI skipper provides an equally compelling narrative to the first one-dayer against Australia here on Sunday. Kohli and Rohit are coming back to national colours after playing the Champions Trophy in March, and the dynamics of Indian cricket has changed irrevocably in these seven months.
The cricketing ecosystem has learned to survive the prolonged absence of Kohli and Rohit — at least in two formats — in this interim period.
So, what do these two veteran batters now have to offer to the side?
Skipper Shubman Gill during a practice session on the eve of India’s first ODI against Australia in Perth on Saturday. Pics/BCCI
Sweating it out in the nets
Before delving into that question, let’s be clear about it — Kohli and Rohit will be counted among the greatest one-day batters across the eras and by any yardstick. They have also been training hard for this series. Rohit seemed to have shed a few kilos and moulded himself into a chiselled figure, and Kohli was sweating it out in London, his new base, with a private trainer. But the challenge for these two giants is to shake off the accumulated rust since the IPL, their last competitive outing.
It’s unlikely that the management will break the highly successful opening combination of Rohit and Gill, keeping Yashasvi Jaiswal as a backup option.
Marsh, Head lead charge
On the other hand, the Aussies will hope that the likes of Cooper Connolly, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, etc can give ample support to Mitchell Marsh and India’s eternal nemesis Travis Head.
Gill said his bond with the Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is as strong as ever despite contrary narratives floating on social media in recent weeks, insisting that he will not hesitate to approach the two stalwarts, if he is in a fix during a match.
Standing on the banks of the Swan river — quite an unusual setting for a pre-match media conference — Gill sought to dispel the doubts. “A narrative is run on the outside, but nothing have changed in my relationship with Rohit. He is very helpful whenever I feel I need to ask him anything, may be an input on nature of the track,” Gill said.
“I go and ask ‘What do you think? If you would have been leading what would you do?’ I have great equation with Virat bhai and Rohit bhai and they never hesitate in giving suggestions,” Gill said.
So how would it be to lead them? “Obviously, when I was kid, I used to idolise them for the game they played and hunger they had which inspired me. It is a big honour for me to lead such legends of the game. When I am in a difficult situation I wouldn’t shy away from getting any suggestions from them,” Gill said making it clear how he felt about the presence of the two seniors.
802
No. of runs scored by Virat Kohli in 18 ODIs vs Australia Down Under @ 47.17
990
No. of runs scored by Rohit Sharma in 19 ODIs vs Australia Down Under @ 58.23
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