India captain Shubman Gill heaped praise on veteran opener Rohit Sharma following India’s two-wicket defeat to Australia in the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval. The loss handed Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Rohit, who was playing his first ODI since stepping down as captain, showed immense resilience under pressure. After India lost early wickets — with Gill departing for 9 and Virat Kohli dismissed for a duck; Rohit anchored the innings and displayed his trademark class against a potent Australian pace attack. The 38-year-old faced fiery spells from Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Xavier Bartlett but remained composed, crafting a gritty 73 off 97 balls, laced with nine fours and two sixes. His knock helped India post a competitive total of 264/9 in 50 overs.
GILL On Rohit
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Reflecting on Rohit’s performance, Gill was full of admiration, admitting that the senior batter was unfortunate to miss out on a bigger score. “Never easy, coming back to play competitive cricket after a long time. I would say he missed out on a big knock,” Gill said after the match.
The Indian skipper also addressed India’s struggles in the field, noting how dropped chances proved costly. “We had just enough runs on the board. Never easy to defend those totals when you drop a couple of catches. The first game, it (toss) was more crucial. Not much in this match as both teams played 50 overs. The wicket settled in nicely after 15-20 overs,” he added.
Australia, opting to bowl first, found early success before Rohit and Shreyas Iyer steadied India’s innings with a crucial 118-run stand for the third wicket. Despite Adam Zampa’s impressive four-wicket haul, India managed to cross the 260-run mark, setting a competitive target. In the chase, India’s bowlers managed to create pressure but couldn’t sustain it for long. Matt Short’s fluent 74 and Cooper Connolly’s unbeaten 61 ensured that Australia got over the line comfortably with 22 balls and two wickets to spare.
The victory sealed the ODI series 2-0 in favor of the hosts, with the final match set to be played on October 25 in Sydney.
At the post-match presentation, Gill’s candid praise for Rohit and reflection on India’s fielding lapses offered a glimpse into the young captain’s mindset as he looks to find balance and momentum ahead of the final encounter.
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