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Ashok Kumar

Current form of Rohit, Virat raises questions ahead of Australia tour

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both averages under 20 with the bat in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand. Will this effect India's chances in Australia tour?


Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to focus on Test Cricket after Cricket World Cup 2023 final loss_ Walking Wicket (Photo_ ©X_Twitter)
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma both averages under 20 against NZ in ongoing series (Photo: ©X/Twitter)

India are having a forgetful Test series against New Zealand. Their batting has been the biggest letdown as they have suffered collapses in every Test in the series. The same trend continued in the Mumbai Test as well. India were well-placed to close the first day’s play at around 80/1, but ended the day at 86/4, losing three wickets in the space of seven balls. It was particularly horrifying to see Virat Kohli’s run-out in a non-existent single. India captain Rohit Sharma didn’t do well either, perishing for an 18-ball 18, edging it to slip after surviving a dropped chance.


RO-KO’s poor performance in this series has summed up India’s batting frailties. They have not been able to inspire the youngsters and have put pressure on the batters to follow with their ill-timed dismissals.


Let’s have a look at their scores and the modes of dismissals in the series. 

Test Venue

Innings

Rohit Sharma

Virat Kohli

Bengaluru

First

2 (Bowled)

0 (Caught Leg Gully)

Bengaluru

Second

52 (Bowled)

70 (Caught behind)

Pune

First

0 (Bowled)

1 (Bowled)

Pune

Second

8 (Caught Short Leg)

17 (LBW)

Mumbai

First

18 (Caught Slip)

4 (run-out)


Here’s a look at their performances in the series so far.

Player

Innings

Runs

Average

50s/100s

Rohit Sharma

5

78

15.6

1/0

Virat Kohli

5

92

18.4

1/0

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli average below 20 in this series with just one fifty each. It can be argued that the veterans faced some tough conditions to bat on, or, they faced multiple off-days at work. But the manner of dismissals exposes their waning skills with the bat, their mindset, and not batting up to the level of Test batting standards.



Rohit’s T20 mode ineffective in red-ball cricket

For example, Rohit Sharma has been bowled three times out of five innings. In the remaining two, he has been caught at slip or by fielders around the bat. It exposes the waning defensive skills of Rohit who is looking to bat in T20 mode, irrespective of the conditions, opponents, and the team situations in consideration. 


In the first innings of the Bengaluru Test, he was out bowled, giving a charge to Tim Southee when he had just played 16 balls in conditions good for pace bowling. In the Pune Test first innings, he was squared up to be bowled again by Southee. 


In the Mumbai Test first innings, he was slightly squared up to a rising delivery to give an easy catch to slip. Rohit does not look to grind out the bowling attack with a defensive game and is looking to score runs at every ball. 


He has carried forward his intent and aggressive stroke play that he kickstarted in the limited-overs format to Test cricket, but the results have been poor. Instead of concentrating on batting long and making a tall score, he is looking to hit out early in the innings and getting out after getting 10s or 20s. 


Rash singles have been Kohli’s nemesis 

Virat Kohli has been no different. He was beautifully set up in the Bengaluru Test first innings where he edged a rising delivery to leg gully. In the Pune Test’s first innings, he was out bowled to a full toss, and he needlessly ran himself out in the first innings of the Mumbai Test. 


Does it make sense to lose one’s wicket in Test for just a single where batting long is the key to success? It shows how much down in confidence Kohli is as he is extremely eager to get off strike rather than play in proper Test cricket mode.



Poor example for you 

This poor batting from the duo shows how little value or price they add to their name, and giving their wickets away as freebies. Their mindset to score quickly instead of giving respect to the opposition’s bowling unit, conditions or the situations on hand have led to their downfall. The task at hand was to bat in traditional mode – bat long and deep and make a big score. But they have not been able to do so.


Coming from these two veterans, it makes the youngsters in the squad play in the same fashion. Instead of inspiring youngsters with dogged Test batting and leading by example, RO-KO are setting poor batting standards for the youngsters in the squad. It does not bode well for Indian Test cricket which is in a transition phase.


The real Test will be the Australia series Down Under where India will play five Tests. If India take this reckless batting Down Under, they will be easy meat for the Aussie bowlers. Australia, under Pat Cummins, are a different beast altogether and would be hard to beat in their own den this time around. India have their task cut out, and a lot rests on RO-KO to turn things around. 


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