Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli rolled back the years with a 168-run partnership to help India register a consolation nine-wicket victory over Australia in the third ODI at SCG last month.
Rohit’s magnificent 121* off 125 balls, laced with 13 fours and three sixes, showcased his power, while Kohli’s measured 74* off 81 balls demonstrated his excellent strike rotation and calculated risk-taking abilities in the chase of 237.
The heroics in Sydney followed two matches of rustiness and lack of rhythm for both batters. Rohit had scored 8 runs in the series opener at Perth before working hard at the Adelaide Oval, moving from a slow start of 28 balls for six runs to a solid 73 off 97 balls. On the other hand, Kohli had bagged two successive ducks for the first time in his illustrious ODI career.
While the Men in Blue conceded the series 2-1, Rohit was adjudged Player-of-the-Series for his 303 runs in three ODIs. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir shrugged off the individual performance, saying he is not pleased with the fact of India squandering the three-match series.
“Look, I don't think so, honestly. I think I've always been a believer that it's not about the individual performances. Yes, I can be very happy with the individual performances, yes. And I will always remain happy with individual performances, but ultimately, we lost the ODI series. That's the bottom line. And I can never celebrate a series loss as a coach,” said Gambhir in a video shared by BCCI on social media.
“As a player, I can appreciate individuals, but as a coach, I think it is my moral responsibility that we as a nation and we as individuals should never, never celebrate a series loss. Ultimately, we are representing the country,” he added.
Following the ODI series, India and Australia locked horns with each other in five T20Is. Just like the series opener in Canberra, inclement weather played spoilsport in the finale at Gabba. Only three of the five T20Is were completed, and the visitors emerged victorious in two games to clinch the series 2-1.
Gambhir expressed satisfaction with the series win, but he acknowledged that the team still has a long way to go if they are to defend the T20 World Cup title next year.
“T20 series was different. We won the series. A lot of positives, but a lot of learnings as well. We still are not where we want to be in three months down the line, because the bigger picture is not the series, but the World Cup as well,” Gambhir stated.
"So hopefully, by the time the World Cup comes, I think we are in that space where we want to be before the World Cup. That has been the ideology from day one. When I took over as the head coach from Sri Lanka till now, it hasn't changed, I think,” he further remarked.
