The Test series defeat against Australia resulted in massive criticism for the Indian cricket team batters – especially the senior duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both batters had a forgettable campaign with Rohit dropping himself for the final Test after scoring just 31 runs in 3 matches. Following the series loss, Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan both urged Indian cricketers to play domestic cricket while head coach Gautam Gambhir also dropped a similar hint. Amid the ongoing conversation, a member of the Indian team management admitted that “while playing domestic cricket cannot fix all the flaws, it can certainly help Test players get into the rhythm needed to play the longest format.”
“Without game time in the middle, their game will stagnate… The switch from the red ball to the white ball is easy, but when it is the other way round, it is challenging. When you play Ranji games frequently, you will be in rhythm,” said the source according to a report by Indian Express.
Ravi Shastri has shared his views on the current stages of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s Test careers following their dip in form during India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy defeat to Australia.
Once the backbone of India’s batting lineup, Kohli endured a tough series in Australia, managing just 190 runs at an average of less than 24. This included an unbeaten century in the first Test in Perth, but he struggled to maintain consistency throughout the series.
Despite these challenges, Shastri believes the 36-year-old still has plenty to offer, though he acknowledged Kohli’s difficulties against spin on home soil and his technical issues outside off-stump in Australian conditions.
Speaking on The ICC Review, Shastri compared Kohli’s current struggles to those faced by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting during the later years of his career. Ponting averaged 39.48 over his final five years as a Test batter, significantly lower than his overall career average of 51.85.
“This now takes my mind back to [Sachin] Tendulkar, [and] to Brian Lara. When you evaluate their careers and see where Virat is, I think Virat still has it in him for the next couple of years to do precisely…..,” Shastri told The ICC Review, as quoted by the ICC.
“To get the youngsters coming through the ranks there. Help them out. Share knowledge. Be part of the dressing room. Contribute to the team,” he added.
(With ANI inputs)
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