Shubman Gill defends Rohit Sharma’s lean patch vs New Zealand: ‘Not possible to do it every time’

India captain Shubman Gill spoke about Rohit Sharma's lack of runs after the team stumbled to a series loss against New Zealand.

Rohit Sharma endured a torrid time in the three-match series against New Zealand, aggregating just 61 runs with his highest score being 26. The right-handed batter entered the contest in a rich vein of form, having surpassed the score of 50 four times in the last six ODIs. However, he was unable to continue the momentum as the New Zealand pacers found him out, and the Hitman struggled to score big. However, the former India captain found support from Shubman Gill, who launched a passionate defence when asked about the former's lack of runs.

India's captain Shubman Gill (R) and his teammate Rohit Sharma run between the wickets. (AFP)

In the third and final ODI against the Black Caps, Rohit scored just 11 runs, and he ended up losing his wicket to Zakary Foulkes. In the three ODIs, the 38-year-old registered scores of 26, 24 and 11. Hence, it was no surprise that Rohit's form was questioned, given that India lost the series 2-1.

Gill was quick to point out that Rohit scored runs against Australia and South Africa, and it was just a case of the experienced batter not being able to convert starts.

“I think he's been in terrific form, even right through from the Australia series, even in the South Africa series. As I said, you won't always be able to convert the stars that you get. And I think he got some starts in the first couple of ODIs," the Indian ODI captain Gill told reporters at the post-match press conference.

"And as a batter, you always want to convert those stats and always want to make it count and make it into hundreds. But it's not possible to do it every time. But at the same time, that's something that you always strive to do," he added.

Speaking of Rohit, he won the Player of the Series accolade for his haul of more than 200 runs against Australia in the three-match contest Down Under. He then backed this performance up with two half-centuries against South Africa and a knock of 155 for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Question on Rohit's hunger

When Rohit lost his wicket, former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull questioned the former India captain's hunger, asking whether the Hitman had enough gas in the tank to play the 2027 ODI World Cup.

In response to this comment, former India head coach Ravi Shastri stated that it will all boil down to Rohit's hunger, and that if he truly wants to, he will play the World Cup in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

Speaking of the series decider against the Black Caps, India lost by 41 runs as the hosts failed to chase down the target of 338. Virat Kohli's 124-run knock and half-centuries by Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy went in vain.