In no uncertain terms, Bahutule has put his weight behind the opener, deeming him ‘very very important’ as things are being put in order with the help of Gautam Gambhir’s staff. It is an endorsement you don’t hear without some scrutiny of Rohit’s output, and with the second ODI with Afghanistan in Lucknow coming up, it is a good time to be reminded of it.
Why the backing matters
You have Rohit and Virat Kohli making it known they are after one more go at the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa now that they are done with Tests and T20Is. That kind of intent puts a fine point on India’s one-day transition, and on Shubman Gill as he takes the reins with some old hands around him.
Then there is the intangible side of it. Bahutule, for one, will tell you Rohit does more than put up runs. As a spin-bowling coach, he has seen how the senior’s way of playing and leading can be a lift for your team, particularly for someone like Gill when the heat is on. In a side that is in flux, you can’t put a price on that.
Form under the microscope
The stats make for some hard questions. Take the first ODI with Afghanistan: Rohit was in good nick until a bit of a tangle with captain Shubman Gill left him on 16 while they were after a 195. A run-out like that in a chase of a small number is enough to fuel the talk.
And you can’t ignore what Kohli is putting out there. An 88 average in nine games since October is a benchmark. Lately, we haven’t had as many of those big shows from Rohit, and that is the story going into Wednesday.
Key numbers at a glance
Some figures for you:
– 88 is what Kohli has averaged in his last nine (since October)
– 61 runs in three ODIs with New Zealand back in January for Rohit
– His series average then was only a hair over 20
– 16 was his score before the mix-up with Gill and the run-out
– 195 was the target in that match
– 77 in his last four ODI innings
– 121 not out in Sydney, 12 months ago
– Some of the running around in the South Africa series in November
What the coach sees
Bahutule called him a champion on Tuesday, and for good reason. The 39-year-old has the experience and the head for it, and he still puts in the work in training like he is just starting out. He knows how to align with what the team needs.
There is a sense of trust in the Gambhir camp, but also high standards. Rohit has been at it in Lucknow, as you would expect, with a long nets session on Monday night. The idea is simple: you stick to the process, whether the runs are flowing or not.
The turning point India want
They don’t need to reinvent the wheel with Rohit. Just get back to the sort of knock he made in Sydney for 121, or the ones in South Africa in November. One of those can change the mood, give the top order some stability and let Gill make his calls without the pressure.
It is about controlling the tempo as much as the boundaries. When he is in, the middle order has room to work and the dressing room is a quieter place. That is what Bahutule is on to.
What comes next
Wednesday in Lucknow is the tryout. Afghanistan will be a fair test. The think-tank will be looking for more than just the end result; they want to see the intent and the habits at the crease that Bahutule says are there.
Down the line, it is a year of getting things right. With both he and Kohli set on 2027, India is using the seniors to put some pace on Gill’s development. If the bat and the advice come together, it is a win for India in the present and for the future in South Africa.
