Things, at the moment, do not seem to be going the way Virat Kohli wants. Even before the India's tour of Australia started, there was confusion over the injury of his white-ball deputy Rohit Sharma and his availability. Sharma, who leads Mumbai Indians in the IPL, had played in the league final though he was dropped for the Australia series because of the injury. The issue soon became a national debate, with the BCCI not issuing any clarification on the status of his injury and why he was first dropped and later included for the Test series squad.
A day before the first ODI in Sydney today, skipper Kohli had termed the situation “confusing” and added that there has been no clear communication officially from the BCCI or selectors over the status of Sharma's availability. He said that had Sharma been sent to Australia and proceeded with his rehab and recovery with the team Down Under, things would have been a lot more clearer.
The BCCI finally cleared the “confusion” today hours after Kohli's remarks, stating that the top batsman had to be in Mumbai for his ailing father after the IPL. The Board also reiterated Kohli’s assertion that Sharma's fitness will be up for a review on December 11, following which a call would be taken on whether he can be there for the Tests.
But the episode left many wondering why the skipper was not kept in the loop about Sharma's injury, and why wasn't there any communication between Kohli and his deputy.
But Kohli's woes did not end there, as India were outplayed by Australia in the Sydney ODI today by 66 runs. Chasing a mammoth 375-run target after Aaron Finch and Steve Smith smashed hundreds for the hosts, India were never in the run chase, despite opener Shikhar Dhawan scoring 74 and Hardik Pandya making 90. With the Indian bowlers being smashed to all parts of the ground, Kohli badly missed an all-rounder or a part-timer. With Pandya not fit enough to bowl, the skipper was short of options.
Kohli pointed it out in the post-match presentation, and also questioned the team's body language.
"Everyone needs to show the intent in the entire 50 overs. Probably, we played 50 overs after a long time that could have an affect...but having said that we have played so much ODI cricket that it is not something we don't know how to do," Kohli said in the post-match presentation. "I think the body language in the field wasn't great after around 25 overs. It was a disappointing part. If you don't take your chances against a top-quality opposition they'll hurt you and that is what happened today."
With Hardik Pandya not yet to fit to bowl, Kohli said it is affecting the balance of the team. "We have to find out a way to get few overs from part-timers. unfortunately, someone like Hardik is not ready to bowl yet, we have to accept that, we don't really have all-round options as such right now," he said.
"That is an area to be looked at, it is a big part in any team's balance, someone like Marcus (Stoinis), (Glenn) Maxwell bowling a few overs for Australia helped."
Pandya, who plays for Mumbai Indians under Sharma, did not bowl in the IPL, too. Interestingly, in the post-match presentation, Pandya emphasised that he “will bowl only at the right time”, and urged the team to “groom other players” in an all-rounder's role.
"I am working on my bowling. I am going to come in when the time is right," Pandya, who scored 90 off 76 balls during his team's 66-run loss on Friday, said at the post-match press conference. "I want to be at 100 per cent of my bowling capacity. I want to bowl at speeds that are required at the international level," said the all-rounder, who has started bowling in the nets.
Pandya made no bones that India should also look at all-round options considering that a sixth bowling option is a must for balance of an ODI team. "I think, maybe, we will have to find someone who has already played India and groom them and find a way to make them play," he said.
"It is always going to be difficult when you go with five bowlers, because then if somebody is having an off day, you won't have someone to fulfill (that role)," he said.
