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After both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma struggled in the opening ODI in Perth on Sunday, October 19, former cricketer Mohammed Kaif questioned their lack of preparation prior to the Australia tour. Both Rohit and Kohli were expected to score runs during the match as they returned to international cricket after a long time. However, Rohit was dismissed for eight and Kohli was dismissed for a duck and India ultimately lost the match by seven wickets. Although Rohit and Kohli had prepared for the series in their individual camps, Kaif questioned their lack of acclimatization to Australian conditions. Both individuals should have come to Australia sooner to acclimate to the circumstances, according to the former cricket player. Both men appeared to be out of rhythm during the game, according to Kaif. “Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had the opportunity. But maybe they thought they would go together with the team, as people are behind them anyway. There might have been pressure, like ‘Virat should travel with the team’; he has shifted to England, so that pressure was there. It would have been another problem if he had not travelled with the team. So he got caught in this,” said Kaif on his YouTube channel. “These two had an opportunity to go there eight to ten days earlier. No matter how big a batter you are, this is a game of rhythm. A team like Australia will not spare you if you are not in rhythm. I feel it would have been better if they had arrived earlier,” he added. It was a delivery that the opening would have hit for a six if he had been in rhythm and form, Kaif said, pointing to Rohit is dismissal. “Rohit pulls the short ball. He pulls the ball that he got out to. But because he did not have enough game practice and it was seaming with Hazlewood in good rhythm, he had to be prepared. If he is in form, he hits that ball for a six. But maybe here he thought to take some time and get used to the pitch. He seemed to be in two minds. Due to a lack of practice and preparation, his confidence was low in this game,” said Kaif. In preparation for the second ODI on Thursday, October 23, Ro-Ko will now try to get back together as soon as possible.
