“The middle order crumbled without Virat and Rohit”, Pragyan Ojha feels youngsters couldn’t step up in the ODI games.

Pragyan Ojha expressed his disappointment with the Indian middle-order batting during the ODI series against the West Indies, particularly in the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

In the opening match, although Kohli and Rohit were part of the team, they did not come out to bat until the fifth wicket fell, with the captain finally coming in to complete the run-chase when the match was almost sealed. However, in the first ODI, while chasing 115, the Indian team found themselves struggling at 97/5 before Rohit rescued them with a match-winning innings.

The situation worsened in the second game when India was bowled out for a mere 181 runs in less than 41 overs, leading to a six-wicket defeat.

Speaking to TOI, Pragyan Ojha emphasized the importance for the young players to step up and seize opportunities when senior players are not available. He believes that they need to adapt and perform well, especially during crucial matches in the future, to fill the gap left by the absence of experienced players.

Pragyan Ojha said “When you play a 50-over game, it is very important how you pace your innings, The middle order crumbled without Virat and Rohit. The think tank was trying to rest Virat and Rohit, but the purpose was not met. Ahead of the World Cup, we have seen new players given more responsibilities. These young boys should take these chances and opportunities.”

He more emphasized saying “They needed to know how to pace the innings, especially in a 50-over game, These things should be addressed as soon as possible so that in a crucial game if we lose our senior members, these youngsters can manage. The West Indies series is very important for these young boys.”