'When you come back from a long layoff, you are obviously going to be rusty.'
Former India all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri reflected on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's below-par showing in the first ODI against Australia in Perth on Sunday -- their first match for India after nearly seven months.
While Rohit was caught at second slip off Josh Hazlewood for eight, Kohli was caught at point off Mitchell Starc for a duck in the series opener.
Shastri pointed out that it is not easy for any team to adjust to tough batting conditions like Perth and the Indian team landing in Australia two days before the series didn't help their cause.
"When you come back from a long layoff, you are obviously going to be rusty. It's not easy for any overseas team to land in Australia, say, two days prior to a game in Perth and adjust to those conditions straight away, especially when you have that extra bounce and against quality fast bowlers," Shastri told the ICC.
"But I think only time will tell. They'll go to Adelaide, they have some time off to get into the nets, get their minds sorted and get back into action. So I'm in no hurry to judge, but it's when you come back at that age, after some time, it's about how much you're enjoying the sport and how much hunger is there and passion is left in you to play the game," he added.
"So if you tick the boxes in two out of those three, especially the enjoyment part of it, then you can give them both time because they've got class, they've got experience and a little bit of time will sort things out. But I'd rather wait than jump and judge immediately," he added.
© 2025