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Both Rohit and Kohli looked well out of touch with the bat as the two scored only a mere 91 and 93 runs respectively, far from their expected standards at the Indian top-order.
The form of both Rohit Sharma (L) and Virat Kohli (R) remains a concern ahead of Australia Test series. (Image: Sportzpics)
With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s batting form under scrutiny, many asked if the pair participating in domestic cricket would have helped avoid their disappointing performance in the recent New Zealand Test series where the Indian team suffered a 0-3 Test series defeat at home soil.
Both Rohit and Kohli looked well out of touch with the bat as the two scored only a mere 91 and 93 runs respectively, far from their expected standards at the Indian top-order.
A former Indian cricketer and selector recalled the tales of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and the previous generation and talked about their willingness to play first-class games despite the hectic schedule.
“In gruelling heat of the second week of April, in the year 2000, he played Ranji Trophy semi-final for Mumbai against Tamil Nadu and scored a double hundred in a first innings chase of nearly 500,” former India opener Devang Gandhi, recalled in an interview with PTI.
Sachin went on to score 233 runs in Mumbai’s first innings to help them take a five-run lead. It is also to be noted that he had also bowled a total of 10 overs as well, showcasing his willingness to contribute to the side.
“In another three days, he was playing the Ranji final against the Hyderabad team which had Mohammed Azharuddin and VVS Laxman and scored a fifty and a hundred. Tendulkar played Ranji semi-final and final in a space of two weeks in April after playing ODIs till the end of March,” added the former player.
Coming to the current stars, the senior stars like Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit and Kohli decided to skip the recently concluded Duleep Trophy, which raised eyebrows. Coincidentally, the ones who were participating in the domestic circuit, i.e. Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar and Shubman Gill were the best-performing players on the Indian side.
The last Ranji Trophy game that Kohli played was in Ghaziabad against Uttar Pradesh in 2013. Rohit’s last Ranji Trophy match for Mumbai was in 2015.
After that, both have played one first-class game each — Kohli for India A before a tour of Sri Lanka (2017) and Rohit for India A before a home series against South Africa (2019) when he was set to open in Tests.
Tendulkar played 310 first-class games including his 200 Tests. So, the maestro played 110 first-class matches, including tour games, in 24 years despite his hectic international schedule.
In comparison, Kohli has played 32 first-class games and Rohit fairs a shade better with 61 matches in 18 years of first-class cricket since 2006.
But one key factor that the stars of the previous generation did not have to deal with is the rise of T20 and franchise cricket which has made the schedules for cricketers, absolutely packed all throughout the year.
“Obviously workload is important and so is rest,” Gandhi said.
“But for batters, if you realise that you are not in the best of form, you have to take recourse to domestic cricket. I believe one Duleep Trophy game could have been played,” Gandhi reasoned.
Now the Indian team would look to hope that they can best prepare themselves for the gruelling Test series against Australia where their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (2023-25) hang in the balance.
(with PTI Inputs)
