Former cricketer Michael Hussey is wary of the Indian team and has supported Indian stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in their poor form with a hope of a comeback versus Australia, which has recently taken a massive hit to its pride. Speaking ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Michael Hussey said that India is a proud cricketing nation and would fight tooth and nail against Australia.
Micheal Hussey pointed out Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in particular and said that while the duo had a poor series against New Zealand, one should not write off champion players. Michael Hussey felt that it would be a little silly to write of a team of India’s quality.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had an awful run in the home Test season
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had their worst-ever run in the recent home Test season against the Bangladesh National Cricket Team and the New Zealand National Cricket Team.
The awful performances from the duo didn’t affect the India National Cricket Team in the series against the Tigers as the hosts easily won 2-0. However, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma not firing led to India’s downfall against the Kiwis.
India faced an embarrassing 0-3 whitewash at the hands of the New Zealand National Cricket Team and hit a new low in the Test series as it was their first-ever 0-3 sweep at home in the history of red-ball cricket.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma didn’t play any Duleep Trophy matches before the matches against Bangladesh and New Zealand, and the unpreparedness of the duo was clearly seen. In two Tests against Bangladesh, Rohit Sharma scored just 42 runs at an average of 10.50 while Virat Kohli scored 99 runs at an average of 33.00.
As the action moved towards the three-match Test series against New Zealand, Rohit Sharma scored 91 runs at an average of 15.16 while Virat Kohli scored 93 runs at an average of 15.50.
Virat Kohli averages over 50 runs per innings in Australia. The former captain, who missed three of the four Tests during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2020-21, has 1352 runs, including six hundreds, in 13 matches. Virat Kohli relishes playing in Australia and the arch-rivalry between the two teams has brought the best out of him in the recent past.
Virat Kohli, as former cricketers pointed out, looked in control on pace-rich pitches in South Africa earlier this year, scoring a fifty in one innings and getting starts in each of his other three innings.
On the other hand, Rohit Sharma will have his task cut out in Australia. The India captain, who is likely to miss the opening Test due to paternity leave, averages a little over 30 with three fifties across seven Tests. Rohit Sharma has very little experience (2 matches) of opening the batting in Australia.
However, former Australia international Michael Hussey remains confident in both Rohit and Kohli for the upcoming five-match Test series against Australia, which begins in Perth on November 22.
Michael Hussey backs Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli to do well in BGT 2024-25
Former Australian batter Micheal Hussey rubbished the notion of writing off the legendary duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy down under. With the five-match Test series between India and Australia starting on November 22, much of the discussion has been around the poor form of the two stalwarts.
Kohli and Rohit averaged under 16 in the recent three-Test series at home against New Zealand. Their struggles played a massive role in India enduring a first home Test series whitewash since 2000.
Apart from the iffy form of their two star players, India will also be without Rohit himself (birth of his second child) and Shubman Gill (thumb injury) for the series opener.
Talking about the duo’s lack of form and India’s weakened lineup for the first Test, Michael Hussey told TOI:
“We’ve seen it so many times to write off champion players… pundits come out and say that Rohit Sharma is finished and Virat Kohli is no good anymore, that’s just ridiculous. They’re legend, legendary players,”
He added:
“They’re proud players. If you write them off, you’re just going to end up having egg on your face, because they will perform well again. They’re too good not to. I think it’s silly to write them off and write off the Indian team as well. It’s just not in my vocabulary,”
Team India battled injuries and the absence of several key players during their previous Test tour of Australia in 2020-21. However, they stunned the hosts by playing the series of their lives and winning by a 2-1 margin in the four-match affair. India begin their Test series at Perth on 22 November.
India arrive in Australia needing 4 wins in the series. If they manage to win 4 and not lose a single game, they would be able to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship. India, who dominated the WTC points table for the better part of the ongoing season have slipped to the second position and are at the risk of getting knocked out from the race to the WTC Final.