Legendary cricketer Kapil Dev shared suggestions for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to return to their very best and restamp their authority in top-level cricket. Both Virat and Rohit Sharma have struggled for form in recent times after faltering in India’s home Test series against New Zealand followed by the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
Kapil Dev, the Indian captain in the 1983 ODI World Cup, said that they should sit with the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid and figure out the glitches in batting. The veteran also suggested them to watch videos of their impressive knocks to get an idea of what they should inculcate in their game.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s current form in white ball cricket
After failures in Australia and against New Zealand in Tests, all eyes are on whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be able to leave a mark in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 or not
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two of the biggest players in Indian cricket right now, are at the proverbial crossroads of their career. Their class is unquestionable but their current form is not. Both the senior stars have had a tumultuous run after the T20 world Cup 2024. They have already retired from the shortest format and now question marks are being raised on whether they should continue in the other formats too. Rohit Sharma is few months short of 38, while Virat Kohli celebrated his 36th birthday a few months ago.
After failures in Australia and against New Zealand in Tests, all eyes are on whether they will be able to leave a mark in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 or not.
Rohit Sharma , recently, returned to form with his 32nd ODI century in the second ODI against England on Sunday, February 9 at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Rohit Sharma smashed seven sixes and 12 fours on his way to scoring 119 runs off 90 balls. On the back of his knock, India went on to win the match by four wickets and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
Virat Kohli, on the other hand, could not score big in the Cuttack ODI after returning from a knee injury. He got out to Adil Rashid, caught by Phil Salt behind the wickets. With one match remaining before the Champions Trophy, Virat Kohli will be looking to get another big score under his belt. India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev said that it’s not a bad thing to talk to outsiders to mend the problems.
Former Indian captain’s Kapil Dev blunt advice to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of CT 2025
Former Indian captain Kapil Dev has advised Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to be open to suggestions from other players and coaches to overcome their form slumps ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy. The duo have endured a rough few months with the bat in red-ball cricket.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma averaged under 25 each in India’s back-to-back Test series defeats to New Zealand at home and Australia down under. While Rohit showed signs of his best in the second ODI of the ongoing series against England, Virat Kohli was dismissed for an 8-ball 5.
Talking about the pair’s struggles on the Cricket Adda YouTube channel, Kapil said [via NDTV Sports]:
“When there are no runs, problems are on all sides. The best way out is to talk to cricketers, who are your ‘type’. See you old videos and analyse how you used to play. You can talk to cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid. Being big stars does not mean that somebody who has played less cricket than you can’t tell you how to play. The coach may not be of your level but still you listen to him. Sometimes, you can talk to outsiders.”
He added:
“You will not get the same 20-25 year old Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, but if you see your old videos, you will get an idea. Cricket is a game of confidence. Age is a factor but that doesn’t mean they have forgotten to play the game. You have to adjust.”
The 2025 Champions Trophy begins a week after the conclusion of the England ODIs, on February 19. India hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series against England with the final ODI to be played in Ahmedabad on February 12.
Kapil Dev believes skipper Rohit Sharma’s return to form remains paramount for India to boast a settled look going into the Champions Trophy.
The Men in Blue will be part of Group A with Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh in the eight-team competition. Incidentally, India’s last triumph in an ICC ODI event came in the 2013 Champions Trophy in England.
“He (Rohit) is a big player. I hope he returns to form quickly. I will say good luck to the coach. It takes time to settle in. The whole country is looking forward to the side’s performance. In the recent times, the side played well for some time. The team looks unsettled. When the captain’s form is poor, the team has problems,” said Kapil.
India also enjoyed a successful campaign in the last Champions Trophy edition in 2017 before losing the final to Pakistan by 180 runs.