'Rohit Sharma and others will have to take responsibility' - Wasim Jaffer ahead of second ODI against New Zealand

Wasim Jaffer feels that Indian batters, including captain Rohit Sharma, need to take more responsibility after failing for big knocks in the first ODI against New Zealand. The Indan team posted 349 runs while batting first on the back of Shubman Gill's 208-run knock. Despite scoring big, Indian team survived the blush with narrow 12-run win after Michael Bracewell's brave hundred.

Rohit started well but failed again to convert a good start into a big knock, while attempting an aerial shot in the first match in Hyderabad. He scored 34 off 38 while Virat Kohli and Ishan Kishan failed to score double-digit figures. Suryakumar Yadav's struggles in ODIs continue and Hardik Pandya scored 28 off 38 before getting bowled out after a controversial decision by the officials.

Ahead of the second ODI in Raipur, Jaffer said that Rohit, Kishan and Suryakumar need to take more responsibility. He reckoned that Hardik was unlucky with his dismissal in the first match but the star all-rounder needs to be more consistent.

"Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav will have to take responsibility. Even Hardik Pandya, although he was a bit unlucky with the way he got out in the first match," Wasim Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo.

It has been a long time since we saw a century from Rohit in ODI cricket: Wasim Jaffer

Focusing on Rohit's struggles, the former Indian batter pointed out that the current Indian captain is batting well but it has been a long time since him scoring a hundred in ODIs. Rohit's last international century in white-ball cricket came in January 2020, as he is struggling with consistency and injury issues lately. 

"The other three certainly have to step up. It has been a long time since we saw a century from Rohit in ODI cricket. He is batting well but we have not got to see a three-digit figure from him," Wasim Jaffer added.

Rohit is closing on a 10000-run milestone in ODIs with 29 hundreds, including three double tons, but being close to the age of 36, it's not going to be easy to stay at the top of the game.