Sunil Gavaskar pointed out that playing their first ODI on Perth’s fast, bouncy pitch after a long break is always hard and said he won’t be too harsh on the two for their tough return.
Published: October 20, 2025 1:36 AM IST
Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has shown strong support for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, saying he expects both of them to bounce back in the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide after their poor outing in Perth.
He mentioned that it wouldn’t be surprising if the experienced duo put up big scores, adding that with a bit more game time and practice, they’ll soon find their form again.
Both players returned to international cricket after a seven-month break but couldn’t make an impact on Perth’s challenging pitch, with Kohli scoring a duck and Rohit making just 8. Australia took full advantage of India’s batting struggles, winning by seven wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.
Gavaskar defended the two batters, saying it was never going to be easy to adjust to Perth’s extra bounce after being away from the game for so long.
“They were playing on probably the bounciest pitch in Australia. It wasn’t going to be easy, especially for players who haven’t played international cricket for a couple of months. It was challenging even for Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, who play regularly,” Gavaskar was quoted as saying by India Today.
The ex-India captain stayed positive about India’s chances, saying that as Kohli and Rohit get more time batting and practicing, they will soon get back to their best form.
“India are still a very, very good team. Don’t be surprised if Rohit and Kohli score big in the next two games. The more they play, the more time they spend in the nets, the quicker they’ll find their rhythm. Once they’re back among the runs, India’s total will be 300, 300-plus,” Gavaskar added.
The second ODI in Adelaide provides a great chance for a comeback, especially for Kohli, who has a strong history at this ground. In four ODIs at the Adelaide Oval, Kohli has made 244 runs with an average of 61, including two hundreds. His Test record at the same place is even better, scoring 537 runs in five matches at an average of 53.70, with three centuries.
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