'When captain's form is poor, team has problems' - Kapil Dev analyzes Rohit Sharma's prolonged lean patch

After struggling in the red-ball format, Rohit Sharma would have hoped to change his fortunes in the first ODI against England in Nagpur, on Thursday, February 6. However, he was dismissed after scoring just two runs off 7 deliveries by the pacer, Saqib Mahmood.

Rohit has been a pale shadow of his former self with the bat, registering scores of 0, 8, 18, 11, 3, 6, 10, 3, 9 and 2 in his last nine innings in international cricket. In the same vein, recently, former India captain Kapil Dev shared his views on the Mumbai batter's dismal outings with the willow and said that the team looks unsettled due to his poor form.

"He (Rohit) is a big player. I hope he returns to form quickly. I will say good luck to the coach. It takes time to settle in. The whole country is looking forward to the side's performance. In recent times, the side played well for some time. The team looks unsettled. When the captain's form is poor, the team has problems," Kapil said on the Cricket Adda YouTube channel.

Rohit to lead India in Champions Trophy 2025 amid poor form

Meanwhile, speaking of Rohit Sharma, the skipper has managed to accumulate just 164 runs in 15 Test innings in the 2024-2025 season at a paltry average of 10.93. He returned to the ODI format for the first time since August 2024. However, the comeback was far from what the iconic batter would have envisaged. With the Champions Trophy being on the horizon, Rohit's barren run with the bat will be a major cause of concern for the Indian fans.

Also Check: IND vs ENG Match Prediction - Who will win today’s 2nd ODI match between India and England?

The 37-year-old will get two more bites at the cherry before the marquee event. The next opportunity at redemption will come in the second ODI, which will be held at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, on Sunday, February 9. The Men in Blue are 1-0 up in the three-match series and a win on Sunday, will help them take an unassailable lead.