If they don’t perform in Australia, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should retire from Test cricket, says Karsan Ghavri
Former India left-arm pacer Karsan Ghavri believes that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should retire from Test cricket if they fail to perform in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. Admitting that senior pros have done a lot for Indian cricket, Ghavri stated that it's also important to look to the future.
Both Rohit and Kohli struggled with the bat in the three-match home Test series against New Zealand, as the hosts ended up losing 3-0. While the Indian captain scored only 91 runs in six innings, Kohli managed just 93.
In an interview with TimesofIndia.com, Ghavri said, in no uncertain terms, that the veteran batters must hang up their boots from Test cricket if they don't perform to expectations during the five-match series in Australia.
"Definitely, 200 percent yes. They need to score big. If they don’t perform, it’s time for them to call a time on their Test careers. If they don’t perform in Australia, Virat and Rohit should retire. They have done a lot for Indian cricket, but the team needs runs to win. We need to build a team for the future. How long will we keep players who aren’t performing?," Ghavri said in the interview.
"If they perform, keep them; if not, why select them? If players are selected without performance, then bring in Cheteshwar Pujara or Ajinkya Rahane. If Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli aren’t scoring runs, then who will score? In a country like Australia, you need experienced players who can occupy the crease, stay longer, and put up big scores. To beat Australia in Australia, you need big totals on the board," the 73-year-old, who played 39 Tests and 19 ODIs, added.
Rishabh Pant (261) was the only Indian batter to score over 200 runs in the Test series against New Zealand. Yashasvi Jaiswal is next on the list with 190, while Sarfaraz Khan contributed 171 runs.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's Test record in 2024
In 11 Test matches (21 innings) in 2024, Indian captain Rohit has scored 588 runs at an average of 29.40, with the aid of two hundreds and two fifties. The 37-year-old has, however, only registered one half-century in his last 10 Test innings.
As for Kohli, he has 250 runs to his name in six Tests (12 innings) at an average of 22.72. The right-handed batter has crossed the half-century mark only once in Tests this year, when he scored 70 in the second innings of the Bengaluru Test.