When Rohit-Kohli play Ranji games, they will be back to rhythm, says India's coaching staff member
The two senior players have had a forgettable past few months in the longest format of the game.
The recently-concluded edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was a debacle India would want to erase from their memory at the earliest. Rohit Sharma was not available for the series opener due to household commitments. However, his return to the side was marked with a desperate struggle with the bat, coupled with some poor calls taken while captaining the side. He opted himself out of the final Test, having scored only 31 runs in the five innings he featured.
As for Virat Kohli, he has also had his fair share of challenges with the bat. A lot was expected from the ace batter coming into the series, considering his track record against Australia Down Under. Apart from a ton in the second innings of the first Test, he was only able to muster 90 runs in the remaining eight innings. His weak spot of deliveries bowled well outside the line of the off-stump came to prominence as well. In summary, it was a really underwhelming series for Kohli.
With the second-half of the 2024-25 edition of the Ranji Trophy slated to get underway on January 23, 2025, a multitude of ex-cricketers and commentators have called for the two senior individuals to consider going back to the domestic circuit to enhance their red-ball game for an extended future.
As per a recent report, it is being come to light that a member of the team management has urged the two to grind it out in the domestic scene.
"While playing domestic cricket cannot fix all the flaws, it can certainly help Test players get into the rhythm needed to play the longest format. Without game time in the middle, their game will stagnate. The switch from the red ball to the white ball is easy, but when it is the other way round, it is challenging. When you play Ranji games frequently, you will be in rhythm,” he said in conversation with Indian Express.
The next task India will undergo in the longest format of the game would be a five-match series against England this year, spanning between June and August. It will be interesting to see how the developments surrounding the two seasoned individuals progress as the days tick down to the series.
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