India's batting coach ready to offer Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma his services only if..

Team India's new batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said that he is open to sharing inputs with senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Sitanshu Kotak stated that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli need to be in the right frame of mind to receive advice, adding that he could learn a lot from them as well.

Sitanshu was appointed as the batting coach following a disappointing run in recent times, particularly in the home series against New Zealand and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Indian team missed the World Test Championship final. Kohli and Rohit had some of the worst seasons of their careers.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Are Very Senior Players - Sitanshu Kotak

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the third T20I between India and England, Sitanshu Kotak discussed his approach to working with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Kotak said that his role would be to understand their game plans and offer valuable input where possible.

"See, Rohit and Virat are very senior players. But even the players we have now, it is a lot more about sharing, a lot to try and understand how they are planning their games, where they think, and then if we can add something, that's how I think, if I can add value to 2 percent, 5 percent, that's a great thing," Kotak said.

"The amount of cricket they have played where they have performed, it won't be unfair to say there might be a lot of things for me to learn from them. That's the way this game goes. You have to be open, and you have to be ready to learn," he added.

Kotak's first assignment is the ongoing T20I series against England. He featured in 130 first-class matches, scoring 8,061 runs at an average of 41.76, including 15 centuries and 55 fifties. He also played 89 List-A games, amassing 3,083 runs at an average of 42.23, with three hundreds and 26 half-centuries.

I Would Have Certain Things in My Mind - Sitanshu Kotak

The 52-year-old stated that he is open to sharing his inputs with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, but only when the timing is right. He added that both players should be in the right mindset and ready to receive feedback before he offers any advice.

"If they are in a mindset, during that point of time, if they are ready to take any inputs, yes. I would have certain things in my mind, and I will share, but it has to be the right time, and they should feel yes, they are ready for that," he said.

Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma to Be Next Seen in Action in England ODIs

Virat Kohli struggled with an average of 22.47 in 19 Test innings during the 2024/25 season. Rohit Sharma had an even tougher time, finishing the season with a disappointing average of 10.93 in 15 innings.

They will be next seen in action during the upcoming three-match ODI series against England and are also part of the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Both players were key to India’s runners-up finish in the 2023 World Cup but with just three ODIs in 2024.

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