Former Indian cricket star Sunil Gavaskar has voiced his worries about the poor performances of senior players Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In a recent discussion, Gavaskar stressed that their struggles have significantly impacted India’s chances against a strong Australian team led by Pat Cummins.
India’s hopes of making it to the World Test Championship Final took a considerable hit after a heavy 184-run defeat in the recent match in Melbourne. Gavaskar pointed out that India’s best batsmen have not stepped up in crucial situations. On the fifth day of the Melbourne Test, when India needed to resist for 90 overs to secure a draw, both Rohit and Kohli scored disappointingly low, with just 9 and 3 runs, respectively. Their early dismissals contributed to India’s rapid collapse to 155 runs in just over 79 overs.
Gavaskar remarked, “The responsibility falls on the selectors, but it’s clear that the expected contributions from senior players haven’t materialized. It’s not the lower order that’s failing; it’s the top order that needs to deliver. The senior players haven’t made the impact they should, and all they needed to do was bat through the day to give themselves a chance in Sydney.”
Rohit Sharma’s ongoing struggles have been a particular worry, having scored only 31 runs in six innings during the series. In his last six Tests, he’s totaled just 123 runs, prompting questions about his place on the team.
Virat Kohli has also come under scrutiny despite showing some signs of improvement earlier this year. While he had some success in 2023, 2024 hasn’t been kind to him, as he has managed only 417 runs at an average under 25. After making a century in Perth at the beginning of the Australian tour, Kohli’s performance dipped further with just 62 runs in the next three matches, raising concerns about his position in the Test squad.
As the Indian team gears up for the crucial Test in Sydney, Gavaskar’s comments highlight the increasing pressure on Kohli and Rohit. Their performances in the upcoming match will be key in determining if India can turn the series around and keep their World Test Championship hopes alive.
