If you need to score more than 350, then you need Rohit Sharma: Aakash Chopra

The opening batsman Rohit Sharma is a vital cog in India’s success in recent years and this was again proved with India’s loss in first 2 ODIs of three-match series against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground. India lost the first game while chasing 374 runs by a massive 66 runs and they succumbed to a defeat by 51 runs in the second ODI while chasing a target of 390.

Speaking about India’s defeat, former Indian opening batsman Aakash Chopra opined that the team is dearly missing Rohit as his presence in the top-order would have helped the team in playing in a more bolder fashion while chasing humongous total posted on the board by Australia. He also feels that the Indian team wasn’t at their fluent best considering the runs they had to score.

“The Indian batting line-up left a lot to be desired in a sense that there were too many runs on the board. If Rohit Sharma had been there, we would have played in a bolder fashion but if he is not there, then there is a loss. If you need to score more than 350, then you need Rohit Sharma, especially in a run chase,” said Chopra in a video on his YouTube channel.

India’s former limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma was ruled out of the limited-overs series after he suffered a hamstring injury while playing against Kings XI Punjab in the just-concluded 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He is currently training in National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and plans are being made to make him available for the Test series.

Aakash Chopra opines on KL Rahul’s batting position

Further Aakash Chopra opined that India isn’t utilising wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul to his full potential by sending him to bat at Number 5 position. The veteran feels that Rahul deserves to open the innings for India with Shikhar Dhawan as that would provide the team a decent start and will also help the batsman in playing his natural game.

KL was dismissed on a score of 12 in the first ODI while he smashed 76 runs off 66 deliveries in the second ODI but failed to take India to the finishing line.