Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have enjoyed glittering cricket careers for Team India, but they’ve now hit a lean patch. Both stalwarts struggled enormously in 2024, particularly in the longest format of the game. After dismal performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which has put their Test future in jeopardy, Kohli and Rohit have received advice from a familiar face. Former India coach Ravi Shastri has stated that while retirement is in their own hands, they can revive their careers by going back to one particular thing. That thing, is domestic cricket. Shastri did not stutter, putting it bluntly when speaking about the two great batters.
“If there’s a gap for them (Kohli and Rohit), I think they should go back and play some domestic cricket and see how it is,” Shastri said in the ICC Review.
“When you play Test match cricket for that length of time, it’s important to play domestic cricket for two reasons: You’re abreast with the current generation (and) you can contribute to that younger generation with your experience,” Shastri added.
Rohit Sharma last played a domestic match in 2016, while Virat Kohli has been out of the circuit since 2012.
The former India head coach also spoke about how going back to domestic cricket would help them regain their touch in playing spin, something they’ve struggled with in 2024.
“More importantly, you get to play spin more than you will ever play. So if you see India as recorded, India on turning tracks is not the greatest. If you have quality spinners in the opposition, they can trouble you. And they have troubled India,” Shastri said.
Both Kohli and Rohit averaged below 25 in Test cricket in 2024. Rohit started the year off well with a great home series against England, but ended it in disastrous form, scoring only 31 runs in five innings against Australia. Kohli, on the other hand, suffered an inconsistent year throughout.
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