Indore : Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra feels that Indian skipper Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and Rohit Sharma's lack of runs let the team down in the third and final ODI against New Zealand. He specifically mentioned Sharma, saying runs were needed from him, especially in the last match. Sharma, Gill and Iyer had a disappointing outing in the third ODI against Kiwi's in Indore on Sunday. Sharma fell for 11 while Gill made 23, and Iyer failed even to score in double digits as he was sent back to the pavilion for just three.
"Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and Rohit Sharma not playing big knocks, I think that has let the team down. Rohit Sharma, there is no problem with him, but runs were required here. Runs were required in the last match," Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
Chopra also highlighted Sharma's run drought in the New Zealand series, saying he got out playing shots in the air all three times, leaving Virat Kohli to carry the team. The veteran opener scored only 61 runs in three innings at an average of 20.33 and also failed to register a fifty in the series. Sharma got starts in all three matches but gave away his wicket while trying to hit a big shot.
"It wasn't going to happen without him because two of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill had to score runs. Kohli was standing alone, but Rohit got out. He got out in all three matches. He got out playing shots in the air all three times," he added.
Despite his lean patch in the New Zealand Gill backed Sharma, stating he has been in terrific form since the Australia series. However, Gill highlighted that the veteran opener failed to convert his starts during the New Zealand series.
"I think Rohit Sharma is in terrific form, even right through from the Australia series, even in the South Africa series. I think, as I said, you won't always be able to convert the starts that you get. And I think Rohit got some starts in this New Zealand series as well. As a batsman, you always want to convert those starts and always want to make it count and make it into hundreds. But it's not possible to do it every time. But at the same time, that's something that you always strive to do," Gill told the reporters.
Coming to the match, New Zealand clinched their first-ever ODI series win in India with a 41-run win over the hosts in the third ODI in Indore. Centuries from Daryl Mitchell (137*) and Glenn Phillips (106) took NZ to 337/8, despite three wickets from Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. An incredible lone warrior century from Kohli and his 99-run stand with lower-order batter Harshit Rana, who scored his maiden ODI fifty, went in vain as New Zealand downed the Men in Blue. 0