Rohit Sharma would be keen to make a mark as a skipper & batter in the upcoming BGT 2024-25 trophy. Rohit Sharma was seen in two minds whether to attack or defend against New Zealand in the Test series. Perhaps, it won’t be wrong to say that the ultra-attacking approach of Indian batters backfired against New Zealand and in Australian fast & bouncy pitches, the batters would be thoroughly tested.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma struggled to get going in the recently-concluded three-Test series against New Zealand that India lost 0-3. The flop show from the star batters was one of the big reasons for India’s unprecedented series whitewash in home Tests.
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 Manjrekar 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.
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar backed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to find form in Australia, saying the conditions Down Under will favour them more than spin-friendly conditions back home. Manjrekar went on to say that the two stalwarts will feel a sigh of relief, playing on decent batting conditions and against the Kookaburra ball.
Sanjay Manjrekar backs Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to come good in 2024/25 BGT
Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar backed the legendary duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to prosper in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. India will take on Australia in a mouthwatering five-Test series, starting in Perth on November 22.
While the Asian giants upstaged Australia in their last bilateral Test series and have won the previous four, their recent form is a worry. Rohit Sharma’s men suffered a shocking 0-3 home series whitewash against New Zealand before the Australian tour.
Central to their concerns will be Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s poor form, with the duo averaging under 16 in the three New Zealand Tests. Yet, speaking to Star Sports in a preview of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Manjrekar opined that the Australian pitches will suit the two stalwarts better than home tracks.
“Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be thinking ‘it’s good. we are going to play in a home away from home’. They were struggling a lot on turning pitches. Facing pace and bounce is not a problem for Rohit Sharma. If you have seen Virat Kohli in South Africa the last time India toured there, he was looking like India’s best player. For him, there will be a sigh of relief. It’s a home away from home for them,” he said.
Virat Kohli has often batted his best in Tests in Australia, evidenced by his incredible average of over 54 in 13 matches Down Under. However, Australia hasn’t been too kind to Rohit Sharma, with the Indian skipper averaging a sub-par 31.38 in seven Tests.
Virat Kohli knows exactly what’s going to be planned – Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar believes that Virat Kohli will be fully aware of Australia’s plan to test his patience outside off-stump. Despite a stellar overall Test record with over 9,000 runs, the 36-year-old has often been caught driving loosely away from his body and nicking off.
Manjrekar said:
“Virat knows exactly what’s going to be planned. They’ll obviously start with that line outside the off-stump and gauge what his mood is. Generally these days he looks to leave balls outside the off-stump and if they have anything that’s pitched right up, he’ll look to drive,” said Manjrekar.
Virat Kohli has scored six out of his 29 Test centuries in Australia, and his 1,329 Test runs Down Under is his most in any country outside India. The champion cricketer was also the first Indian captain to lead his side to a Test series win in Australia in 2018/19. Rohit Sharma is likely to miss the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 opener in Perth due to the birth of his and Ritika Sajdeh’s second child.
The Indian skipper has not traveled with the Indian team to Australia and is currently in Mumbai with his family. However, Rohit has not kept himself away from the game. He was seen practicing hard in the nets in Mumbai to keep himself ready for the matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. In his absence, Jasprit Bumrah is all set to lead the team against Australia.