"Never seen Rohit Sharma struggle so much" - 2007 World T20 winner's brutal remark amid AUS vs IND 2025 2nd ODI
Rohit Sharma struggles but scores 73 in India vs Australia 2nd ODI, forming a crucial 118-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer. Irfan Pathan reacts to the veteran opener's rare struggle.
India opener Rohit Sharma faced an unusual challenge with the bat in the ongoing second ODI against Australia in Adelaide, drawing a candid remark from 2007 T20 World Cup winner Irfan Pathan. Australia, after winning the toss, chose to field first in the three-match series, putting India into bat.
Rohit, making his return to international cricket after 220 days, had a slow start against the Australian pacers. He struggled to score freely early on, surviving the probing spell from Josh Hazlewood, and was on 14 off 40 balls at one stage. His cautious approach reflected the pressure of coming back after a long break and recovering from a low score of 8 runs in the series opener.
The veteran batsman, however, gradually got into his rhythm. He hit two sixes off Mitchell Owen in the 19th over and reached a half-century off 74 balls, showcasing his experience and temperament. Irfan Pathan took to X (formerly Twitter) to highlight Rohit’s rare struggle against the white-ball: "Never seen Rohit Sharma get beaten or struggle so much, but this half-century should give him much-needed confidence."
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Rohit Sharma’s Crucial Partnership and Struggle Highlight India’s Fightback
Rohit’s innings was pivotal as he shared a 118-run partnership with vice-captain Shreyas Iyer for the third wicket, stabilizing India’s innings after early setbacks. Yet, he couldn’t convert his start into a bigger score. Mitchell Starc broke through in the 30th over, dismissing Rohit with a short-pitched delivery. Rohit attempted a pull shot but was caught by Hazlewood at long leg, finishing on 73 runs off 97 balls, with two sixes and seven fours.
At that point, India were 143/3 after 31 overs, with Shreyas Iyer unbeaten on 56 off 72 balls and Axar Patel on 2 off 4 balls. With the series currently at 0-1 in favor of Australia, the second ODI has become crucial for India.
Despite his struggles, Rohit’s innings offered confidence for the remainder of the series, proving that even the most accomplished batsmen sometimes need time to find their rhythm. His performance will be key as India aims to bounce back in the series decider.
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