Legendary Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes that the upcoming Test series against Australia can decide the futures of senior cricketers like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin. Questions were raised about the star players following India’s humiliating 0-3 Test series defeat against New Zealand at home. Both Virat and Rohit struggled massively in the three-match series and their performances were criticised by fans as well as experts. In an interview with India Today, Gavaskar said that there are a lot of young talents who will be looking for an opportunity and the much-anticipated series against Australia can turn out to be the final chance for some senior players.
“I think it could be a tour which could decide a lot of futures. And I’m hoping that that question, you know, solved itself in Australia because they are, at an age and at a stage in their careers, where there will be a second ring of which we will be looking to get an opportunity,” said Gavaskar.
The future of some senior India players will be decided after the tour of Australia as the BCCI evaluates the shocking 0-3 drubbing against New Zealand at home while rolling out a structured phaseout policy before the start of the next WTC cycle, according to a report by PTI.
There is a high possibility that the five-match Test series against Australia could be the final one for at least two of the four seniors among Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who are in the last leg of their international careers.
An informal discussion could take place between BCCI bigwigs and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and skipper Rohit about the way forward for an aging team.
“Stocks will be taken certainly and it could be of informal nature since the team leaves for Australia on November 10. But this has been a huge debacle but, with the Australia series round the corner and the squad already announced, there won’t be any tinkering,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
“But if India doesn’t qualify for the WTC final in England, one can be rest assured that all four super seniors won’t be on that flight to the UK for the ensuing five-Test series. In any case, all four have likely played their final Test at home together,” the source added.
(With PTI inputs)
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