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Rohit has only managed to score 100 runs in his last four Tests for India whereas Kohli has amassed a total of 216 runs in the last five Test matches.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s recent form has raised question marks over their place in Indian Test team. (Picture Credit: AFP, AP)
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are struggling to score big runs for India in Test cricket these days and their poor form with the bat has raised questions over their place in the side. The duo failed to cross the 100-run mark in the three-match Test series played between India and New Zealand at home in October-November and in the last Test played against Australia as well at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 8, the duo failed to fire with the bat which once again invited a lot of criticism for the duo.
Many fans and former greats of the game feel that it’s time for India to look beyond the duo in the five-day format of the game. Amid question marks over the star duo’s future, former Indian head coach Greg Chappell feels that it’s more a job of the selectors than the players to decide when they are going to retire.
While speaking to reporters in Adelaide after India’s humiliating 10-wicket defeat against Australia in the day-night Test, Chappell said, “You know yourself whether you’re at your peak or not. But they love playing the game. They want to play it as long as they can, and they have every reason, every right to want to go as long as they can. That’s why you need good, robust selection policies and selection panels to make those tough decisions,” Chappell said.
“It’s not up to the players necessarily to make those decisions. They might want to make that decision. But it’s a well-paid job. Who’s going to walk away from it? Someone else has to make that decision. That’s why you need robust selection panels and policies.”
The legendary Aussie batter was asked how difficult is it to have a conversation with players like Kohli and Rohit about their future. In reply to the query, Chappell said that cricket boards need to hire “good selectors” who can have those “tough conversations.”
“It’s very tough. You’ve got to pick the right people to be selectors, the ones that are prepared to have those tough conversations. Depends on the relationships between the various people in the room. But we all go through it, everyone that plays at that level. You’ll have your ups and downs as a player. With good players, you prefer to give them a game too many than a game too few. So, it’s always tough to get that balance right.”
