IND vs AUS: Why Kohli will miss Rohit Sharma in limited-overs cricket?

If Kohli is the chief architect of India's successful run chases then Rohit can be seen as his best assistant, given the latter is second in the list of top run-scorers' successful chases since 2013

The much-awaited bilateral series between India and Australia will kickstart this weekend when the Virat Kohli-led side begins its campaign with limited-overs series. Notably, this will be the first international cricket series after the Covid-19 pandemic that will see spectators in the stadium. Earlier, when England hosted West Indies, Ireland, and Pakistan during English summer, crowds were not allowed in the stadiums.

In times of Covid-19, the Indian cricket team will play limited-overs cricket without the services of its vice-captain and charismatic opener Rohit Sharma, who is suffering from a hamstring injury. Rohit was not named for ODIs and T20Is, despite the Mumbaikar playing the final of the Indian Premier League. The absence of Rohit at the top of the batting order may bring instability in India playing 11.
 

Check India-Australia series latest news updates here

Why Kohli will miss Rohit’s services?

Rohit Sharma, who is also known as Hitman among his fans, holds a mind-wobbling record against Australia. Since his promotion as an opener in 2013, Rohit has been an architect of India’s wins across the world. He holds the record of scoring the maximum number of centuries (4) by a travelling batsman. However, all the four centuries of his come in a losing cause.

Although, India failed to build upon his success in Australia, mainly because of the Indian cricket team’s brittle middle-order in the past, Rohit will be missed due to his strong backfoot play. The Australian pitches, generally, remain true throughout the match and stroke players can make merry by cutting and pulling the ball. It is not easy for sub-continent players to adjust to Australian conditions and pitches, which have an extra pace and bounce in comparison. But Rohit is one among few to whom backfoot play comes naturally.

Check IND vs AUS full schedule here

Top run-scorers since January 2013

In the list of leading run-getters since January, 2013, Rohit Sharma is at second position with 7137 runs at an average of 59.47, behind Virat Kolhi (7981). While Joe Root is at the third position in the list with distant 5962 runs at an average of 50.10.

Top run-getters since 2013
Name	Matches	Innings	Not Out	Runs	Highest score	Average	Hundreds	Fifties	Strike Rate
Virat Kohli	157	151	27	7981	160 no	64.36	30	37	97.03
Rohit Sharma	138	136	16	7137	264	59.47	27	31	92.54
Joe Root	149	140	21	5962	133 no	50.1	16	33	86.9

Top run-scorers in successful chases

When we talk about a batsman who helped India win the matches chasing, Virat Kohli is the only name that crops up in our mind. Though, Kohli would not have been the highest run-getter for India while chasing if he was not supported by Rohit Sharma, who is second on the list.

Top run-scorers in successful chases (Since 2013)
Name	Matches	Innings	Not Out	Runs	Highest score	Average	Hundreds	Fifties	Strike Rate
Virat Kohli	55	52	22	3397	154	113.23	14	13	101.73
Rohit Sharma	52	52	12	2774	152 no	69.35	10	16	90.38
Shikhar Dhawan	49	48	6	2276	132 no	54.19	7	11	98.99

How to watch Australia vs India series free

Both the players are coming into the series with a superb form as Rahul and Dhawan were the top run-getters in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL 2020). File photo: PTI

Who can replace Rohit at the top of the batting order?

In the absence of Rohit Sharma, newly appointed vice-captain KL Rahul could open with Shikhar Dhawan. Both the players are coming into the series with a superb form as Rahul and Dhawan were the top run-getters in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL 2020). 

Rohit Sharma’s record in limited-overs cricket

One Day Internationals

• Rohit is the only batsman to hit three double centuries in ODIs. He scored two of them against Sri Lanka, while the one against Australia saw hims smash 17 sixes.
• He holds the world record for registering the highest individual score in ODIs. He scored 264 runs off 173 balls against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on November 13, 2014.
• Rohit is also the only batsman to score five hundred in ICC’s World Cup event as he reached this feat in 2019. Even, India’s most successful batsmen in World Cups Sachin Tendulkar has not scored 5 centuries as he participated in six ODIs WC.
• He is the only batsman in world cricket as of now to post eight innings of the 150-plus score in ODIs.

T20 Internationals

• He is the only batsman in world cricket to hit four T20I centuries.
• He also holds the world record of hitting the most number of sixes, 127, in T20 Internationals.
• Rohit holds the world record for most 50-plus innings (25).