"It was important for one batter to take the game deep" - Rohit Sharma on the team’s ‘collective failure’
Rohit Sharma rued a poor effort from batters after Team India suffered a 21-run defeat in the third ODI against Australia in Chennai on Wednesday, March 22. As a result, the Men in Blue succumbed to a 1-2 defeat in the three-match ODI series against Australia.
The home side failed to chase down 270 runs and were bowled out for 248 runs in 49.1 overs. The top-order batters got starts but failed to carry the team all the way.
Rohit stressed that they didn't bat well before highlighting that the wicket got a bit tough during the second half of the innings.
"I don't think it was too many runs," the Indian captain said after the game. "The wicket was a little challenging towards the second half but I didn't think we batted well. When you want to win games like this, partnerships are crucial and it's something that we failed to do today."
Rohit Sharma further pointed out that the batters got out to poor shots despite agreeing that the Australian bowlers bowled well.
"A bit of both, actually," he continued. "You are born here and brought up to play on these wickets. Sometimes it will be challenging but you apply yourself to give yourself and your team a chance. It was important for one of the batters to take it deep but we didn't make to do that."
This was India's first ODI series loss at home since 2019 when they lost a five-match series against Australia.
"We don't point fingers" - Rohit Sharma on the takeaways from the series
Rohit Sharma also pointed out that they have a lot of positives to take away from the nine ODI matches they have played so far in 2023. He also stressed that these defeats will also teach them a lot with the 2023 ODI World Cup approaching.
"A lot of takeaways," he said. "I'm not going to look at these three games. From the nine ODIs we've played from the start of the year, we can take a lot from that. We can take a lot from this loss as well. We don't point fingers, that's not what this team does. We have to understand that we'll be playing in these conditions for a few months.
"Having said that, you have to give Australia credit. Their spinners and the pacers kept things tight. So, credit where it is due," he added.
Indian cricketers will next be seen in action in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which gets underway on March 31.