Rohit\u2019s return to international cricket in the series opener only yielded eight runs in Perth. The poor batting effort in the first ODI attracted a lot of backlash towards the former India captain. However, Rohit silenced his critics with a solid knock in the next match, along with Shreyas Iyer\u2019s 61 and guided India to 264\/9 in 50 overs. Although the result didn\u2019t go in the visitors' favour, but it will surely boost the morale of the opening batter.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Half-centuries from Matthew Short (74) and Cooper Connolly (61 not out) took the hosts over the line in 46.2 overs as Australia take a 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAs a player, you might forget some of your big hundreds or double centuries, but there are certain knocks that stay with you, especially the ones where you\u2019ve had to fight hard. Rohit Sharma may not remember this innings for the runs he scored, but knowing him personally, he\u2019ll take great satisfaction from it. As a batter, when you make runs in tough conditions, it gives you a different kind of joy, much like a bowler getting wickets on a flat pitch,\u201d Nayar said on JioStar\u2019s \u2018Cricket Live\u2019.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cRohit might be disappointed for not converting it into a big score, but deep down, he\u2019ll know he worked hard for every run today. His resilience stood out. That\u2019s what impressed me the most about this Indian team today: their resilience. Even when it looked like Australia would cruise to victory, they kept fighting. And Rohit embodied that spirit. Despite being constantly tested, whenever he got a loose delivery, he made the most of it. That intent, combined with grit, defined his innings.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel added that spinner Kuldeep Yadav will get a chance in India\u2019s playing XI for the third and final ODI of the series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cRohit might be disappointed for not converting it into a big score, but deep down, he\u2019ll know he worked hard for every run today. His resilience stood out. That\u2019s what impressed me the most about this Indian team today: their resilience. Even when it looked like Australia would cruise to victory, they kept fighting. And Rohit embodied that spirit. Despite being constantly tested, whenever he got a loose delivery, he made the most of it. That intent, combined with grit, defined his innings.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t keep adding more batters to cover for that. The focus should be on playing the best combination to win. And on a lighter note, the support staff should make Captain Shubman Gill practice the coin toss while travelling to Sydney, because the toss has played a huge role so far. The ball swung a lot, just like it did in Perth. Even though Australia have sealed the series 2-0, I believe India has still played commendable cricket here, especially considering the limited preparation time they had,\u201d the former batter added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n