The struggles of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli with the bat have been a surprising setback for Team India, especially given their iconic status and past successes. Their recent performances in the Bangladesh and New Zealand series have left room for critics to question their place in the Test team. In their last 10 innings, both Rohit and Kohli have managed just one fifty each—a concerning statistic for players of their calibre.
Against New Zealand, Rohit scored 91 runs across six innings, while Kohli managed a slightly better 93 runs, numbers far below expectations for India’s senior batsmen. Former Indian pacer Karsan Ghavri did not hold back, suggesting that if Rohit and Kohli continue to struggle during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, they should consider stepping down from Test cricket.
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“Definitely, 200 percent yes. They need to score big. If they don’t perform, it’s time for them to call time on their Test careers. They have done a lot for Indian cricket, but the team needs runs to win. We need to build a team for the future,” Ghavri told The Times of India. He emphasized that India cannot afford to carry players who aren’t contributing significant runs, especially in a format where resilience and big scores are crucial.
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The squad announcement for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy came with notable omissions—Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, long considered India’s Test stalwarts. This will be the first time since the 2011-12 series that India will take on Australia without either Pujara or Rahane in the squad.
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Karsan Ghavri questioned the wisdom of retaining out-of-form players like Rohit and Kohli over experienced ones like Pujara and Rahane, especially when facing Australia on their home turf. “If they perform, keep them; if not, why select them? In Australia, you need players who can occupy the crease and post big scores. To beat Australia, you need runs, and lots of them,” Ghavri argued, stressing the importance of building a team that can secure India’s future in Test cricket.
