India vs West Indies: Rohit Sharma plays down concerns over Virat Kohli’s form – Team not worried

India captain Rohit Sharma brushed aside concerns over Virat Kohli’s form, saying the former skipper doesn’t need any boost in confidence. His comments came after Kohli got out for 0 in the 3rd ODI against the West Indies in Ahmedabad on Friday, February 11.

Virat Kohli has not scored an international hundred since November 2019 and the former captain ended the 3-match series against the West Indies with just 26 runs. He played an uncharacteristic knock of a 4-ball 8 in the first ODI and got out after making a good start for 18 in the 2nd ODI. On Friday, he was out the very 2nd delivery he faced from Alzarri Joseph.

Following all the controversies surrounding the way he was removed as ODI captain, Kohli was able to put behind the outside noise and hit 2 fifties in a 3-match ODI series in South Africa. However, against West Indies at home, Kohli looked out of touch, registering a tally of less than 50 runs in an ODI series for the first time since 2015.

“Does Virat Kohli need more confidence? (laughs),” Rohit told reporters when asked if the team is doing enough to give the former skipper confidence.

“If Kohli is need of confidence, then who in the team is confident? I know he ha not scored a hundred for long but he is getting fifties. Even in South Africa, he hit 2 fifties in 3 matches.

“He doesn’t need any extra confidence. He is absolutely fine. The team management is not at all worried about his form,” Rohit added.

Rohit himself failed to set the platform on fire as the full-time limited-overs captain managed only 78 runs in 3 matches. He hit a match-winning 60 in the first ODI but got out early in the next 2 matches.

However, India managed to complete a 3-0 whitewash of West Indies for the first time in their history in the ODi series. Rohit said he was particularly happy with the way the middle-order performed after all these years of questioning the over-reliance on the top 3.

On Friday, Shreyas Iyer hit an 80 and Rishabh Pant 56 as the duo stitched a 110-run stand for the 4th wicket after India were reduced to 42/3. In the 2nd ODI, Suryakumar Yadav’s fifty and handy contributions from KL Rahul and Washington Sundar helped the team post a winning total of 237.

India will next meet the West Indies in a 3-match T20I series at Eden Gardens in Kolkata from February 16 to 20.