'Don't be surprised if...': Sunil Gavaskar makes big Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma statement ahead of 2nd ODI

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has made a big statement about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of the second ODI against Australia. Both senior batters failed to make an impact in the first match at Perth on Sunday after returning to international cricket following a seven-month break.

Kohli and Rohit last appeared in India colours back in March when they played New Zealand in the final of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai. India won that match and the title under the captaincy of Rohit. However, the 38-year-old has returned as a plain batter this time around with Shubman Gill taking guard of the ODI team.

Gavaskar on Ro-Ko’s form

Gavaskar, meanwhile, has shown full faith in Kohli and Rohit ahead of the second ODI in Adelaide. He believes the legendary batters will bounce back strongly in the upcoming games. Gavaskar suggested that Kohli and Rohit were expected to be a little rusty after such a long break from international cricket.

“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.

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“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, or 300-plus,” he added.

The Perth pitch proved too difficult to handle for Kohli and Rohit as they managed just 0 and 8 runs, respectively. India’s batting line-up collapsed under pressure as they scored just 136/9 in 26 overs in the rain-shortened match. This resulted in Australia taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with a comfortable seven-wicket win.

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The second ODI between India and Australia will be played in Adelaide, where India will look to level the series and get their star players back in form. The match is scheduled to be played on Thursday, October 23 at 9:00 AM IST.