Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are expressing their indignation as their careers approach their end.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are expressing their indignation as their careers approach their end.
During the initial Test against India in Perth, Australia fielded one of the oldest teams in history's records, yet the focus was on the declining abilities of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both legends in their own right. The Australians began resembling the infamous Dad's Army before they included 19-year-old Sam Konstas in the MCG lineup. Meanwhile, Kohli and Sharma, nearly twice Konstas' age, were attempting to recapture the essence of youth's certainty.
In due time, every batsman experiences a moment when their timing and movements lose a split second's precision. Doubts and unfavorable runs in Test matches become common during troughs. However, the struggles Rohit and Kohli face are concerning and even a cause for alarm. "Rohit Sharma barely survived the barrage from Pat Cummins at Brisbane. Beaten and left for dead, his gear now discarded near the dugout," described journalist Bharat Sundaresan on X.
At Perth, Kohli scored a century in his team's 295-run victory, yet his performance sparked speculation that the runs were virtually free against a weary Australian attack with no scoreboard or match pressure. His performances outside that innings painted a different picture, as he showed a tendency to push at the ball, often to no avail.
In the World Cup, Kohli was nearly perfect without error, but now, he is relegated to occasional brilliance alongside misplaced swings outside the offstump, making him an easy target for bowlers.
In 1994/95, England dispatched their famed heroes, Graham Gooch and Mike Gatting, to the Ashes, hoping for a final grand farewell. But the outcomes were underwhelming, with Gooch making one painfully slow century at Adelaide and adding three ducks, while Gatting's decline continued like Gooch's.
Similar warning signs that Rohit and Kohli are facing the endgame are becoming apparent. South African pitches brought the end of Graeme Smith's career in a sudden streak of low scores against Australia. He knew when it was time to call it a day. Ricky Ponting went through a similar experience in South Africa, totaling only 0, 4, 16, 4, and 8.
When speaking about his decision to retire at 37, Ponting acknowledged, "I've experienced both good cricket and cricket that has fallen below my expectations, which has bothered me. There has not been a single dismissal or event that sparked my decision. It has been consistent underperformance."
Ponting's "consistent underperformance" is also on the minds of Rohit's critics. In his past 13 Test innings, he has managed only one fifty. Kohli's "cover" of a century is tainted by his insipid efforts of 7, 5, 11, and 3, which brought much discomfort with their tortured uncertainty.
The incident at Melbourne Airport, where Kohli asked a female reporter to stop filming his family, has also sparked controversy. Although he later apologized, Australian press labeled him a "bully," as claimed by Channel Nine sports newsreader, Tony Jones.
Despite his slumping numbers, Rohit insists he feels good about himself. His status as an opener has been conceded to resilient KL Rahul, and his middle-order placement leaves him even more uncertain. "I have not batted well, and I accept it wholeheartedly. But I am preparing myself meticulously, checking all my boxes," he maintained.
Both Rohit and Kohli announced their retirement from international T20 cricket in June after India finally secured the ICC Trophy with a thrilling victory over South Africa. They are eager to exit the Test stage with honor rather than fading away.
Once, the renowned Mumbai-born batsman Vijay Merchant, who scored 154 in his final innings, said, "Retire when people ask 'why?' rather than 'why not?'"
Ravichandran Ashwin became the first to address retirement head-on. Will Rohit and Kohli follow or can they harness their muscle memory to put India 2-1 up in the series?
In the Boxing Day Test against Australia, Rohit Sharma struggled, with Bharat Sundaresan describing his survival against Pat Cummins as barely surviving a barrage.
Post their retirement from T20 international cricket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are eager to exit the Test stage with honor rather than fading away.
Mike Gatting and Graham Gooch, like Rohit and Kohli, faced retirement speculations after underperforming in England's 1994/95 Ashes series.
Ricky Ponting, a former captain, retired after experiencing consistent underperformance, a situation similar to what Rohit's critics are now suggesting.