Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif criticized the Indian batting for their poor outing against Bangladesh in the 1st ODI on Sunday. The Indian cricket team lost the series opener by 1 wicket as the Indian batters failed to put up a strong total after being asked to bat first. No other batter except KL Rahul was able to get going. The star trinity of Shikhar Dhawan (7), Rohit Sharma (27), and Virat Kohli (9) returned to the Indian side but failed badly. KL Rahul emerged as the highest scorer for team India with a 73-run knock but he didn’t get much support from the other side.
Rohit Sharma would be disappointed with his performance as he scored 27 runs in 31 balls but he failed to perform yet again. He has been under the scanner for his poor batting form. He has been struggling to score runs for a long time. On Sunday, his struggles continued on Sunday in Dhaka as he was dismissed for 27 off 31.
Meanwhile, Kaif suggested team India needs star batters like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to put up big scores. He further pointed out that Rohit has not been consistent with the bat after taking over the captaincy charge which is a big concern for the team. Speaking on Sony Sports, Kaif said:
“You have to bat well. We are talking a lot about the bowling, they batted badly. We lost the match because of batting. We need runs from Virat Kohli. We need runs from Rohit Sharma the captain. Rohit Sharma has not been in form as a captain, he has not been able to score regularly.”
He added: “If they make changes, there will be commotion. If you played any young player, Kuldeep Sen should play all three matches. If you have backed someone and you change that decision because you lost the match, I believe you are not a good captain or coach.”
The Indian cricket team will face Bangladesh in the 2nd ODI match in Dhaka on Wednesday, December 7. Skipper Rohit Sharma may roar back and lead the side from the front in a do-or-die match for India.
