"Rohit Sharma needs to be more selective; no issues with Virat Kohli" - Batting coach Vikram Rathour
Team India batting coach Vikram Rathour has given his views on skipper Virat Kohli and senior opener Rohit Sharma's dismissals at Lord's on Sunday.
Rohit Sharma once again got off to a brilliant start in India's second innings, scoring 21 off 35 balls. However, for the second time in the series, he fell to England's short-ball ploy and holed one out to deep backward square. Vikram Rathour said it was his scoring shot but insisted that he needs to be more "selective" with it in the future.
"There will be analysis, of course every-time they get out, we will be having a talk, what happened and what they were thinking while batting or while they played that shot. As far Rohit is concerned, I think he has made it clear that that is the shot which fetches him runs, that is the shot where he gets runs with, so he is going to play those shots and we are backing him to play those shots, only thing he needs to do is to be a little-more selective, with what to play and when to play…" Vikram Rathour said in a virtual press conference.
Kohli, too, looked in decent touch in the match and scored four boundaries on his way to a 31-ball 20. But like Rohit Sharma, he got out in his typical fashion by searching for a wide delivery from Sam Curran. The dismissal also raised questions about whether the skipper's "2014 demons" have returned.
But Vikram Rathour said otherwise, dismissing it as just a "lapse of concentration" which needs to be worked upon.
"Kohli, I don't think there was any issue, it was just a lapse in concentration today, where his bat went to the ball, which he shouldn't have played and nothing more, I don't think anything old (is) coming back," the batting coach added.
A target of over 200 won't be easy for England: Vikram Rathour
Vikram Rathour also gave a hint of what India would see as a safe target on the final day. He said anything around 200 won't be easy for the hosts as the ball will play some typical fifth-day tricks on Monday.
"You are right, this will be a typical fifth day wicket of a Test match, where the ball will go up and down and is also turning, like we saw. So, again like I said earlier, if we can take the target near 200 runs, then it won't be easy for England," Vikram Rathour concluded.
India will start the final day at 181-6, with all hopes pinned on wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant (14 off 29) to take the team to a fighting total.