"Look at all the innings where they've scored brilliant centuries": Former cricketer advises Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma ahead of BGT 2024-25 4th Test
Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar has shared his advice on how Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma can rediscover their mojo ahead of the last two Tests against Australia. Gavaskar has called for the veteran duo to keep revisiting the videos when they scored centuries for fun.
With the five-Test series against Australia at a knife's edge due to the 1-1 scoreline, Rohit and Kohli are under pressure after their lean run in the first three matches. Rohit, who joined the side only from the second Test, has reached double figures only once in three innings. Meanwhile, Kohli scored a ton in the second innings in Perth but has struggled to get going ever since.
When asked how Kohli can come out of his rut, Gavaskar said the 36-year-old will keenly look at his dismissals this week and prepare to fire back in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. He told The Hindustan Times:
"That's up to him. It is really up to him, what he does. But you don't score X thousand runs in international cricket and get that many hundreds unless you know how to approach and build a Test innings. I am sure this one week will give him a lot of time to look at his dismissals. More than the dismissals, I would like him and even Rohit (Sharma, the captain) to look at all the innings where they have scored brilliant centuries. That is what is going to make them start believing."
The former Indian captain has a promising record in Melbourne, scoring 316 runs in three Tests at 52.67 with a best of 169.
"Everybody goes through a bad patch and that's what's happened to him" - Sunil Gavaskar to Rohit Sharma
Speaking of Rohit, the 75-year-old reckons it's nothing but a rough patch for the visiting captain and that doubts are inevitable when runs are short. He added:
"I think it's just a bad patch. Everybody goes through a bad patch and that's what's happened to him. Again, like I said, he should look at all the videos where he’s scored century after century. Those are the videos that start giving you positive thoughts. Sometimes, when you have not scored runs in 2-3 matches, you start to doubt yourself. But seeing these videos where they have scored runs is the best way to get positive thoughts and energy before the next Test."
Team India have won their last two Tests at the MCG