The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024/25 turned out to be a nightmare for India’s two biggest batting icons, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both struggled to make an impact on the bouncy Australian tracks, leaving the Indian camp with serious concerns. While the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and odd individual brilliances saved the grace in many innings, Rohit and Kohli aren’t the reasons why India are still in a position to retain the BGT.
Former cricketer-turned-analyst Sanjay Manjrekar weighed in on the situation, suggesting that the two senior pros should head to England and play County cricket to fine-tune their game. But is that even a realistic option?
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma should play County, says Manjrekar
“Kohli, with the body of work he has had, his impact and tenacity every time he comes, he’s giving his very best. All the confidence he had is getting eroded. He’s backing himself, giving himself the best chance with his fitness and application. But clearly, there is a technical problem and now; there is a problem of confidence as well,” Manjrekar told Star Sports.
“The next series is not going to be easy for Virat as in England, it will be more or less the same. There will be swinging balls outside the off stump. But if both Rohit and Virat intend to continue, and the selectors want to back them, I would like to see both of them play county cricket and convince the people who will take the big call whether they are ready. Retirement is up to the individual while leaving people out is up to the selectors,” Manjrekar added.
Manjrekar pointed out that the conditions in England would be a bit similar to those in Australia. Hence, if the duo intends to continue grinding it hard in the format, they should play domestic games in England.
County not possible when IPL 2025 is around!
The County Championship kicks off on April 7, 2025. On paper, it sounds like a perfect solution for Kohli and Rohit to acclimatise to the swinging conditions in England. But there’s one massive roadblock: IPL 2025. The cash-rich league will run from March 14 to May 25, right in the middle of the County season.
The IPL isn’t just another tournament for these two. Kohli, the face of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Rohit, the ‘captain ‘Raja’ of Mumbai Indians, are indispensable to their franchises. Not just for their teams but they are the two biggest faces of the league alongside MS Dhoni. Both players have immense commercial value tied to their IPL participation. Missing the tournament is not an option. The idea of Kohli and Rohit skipping IPL to grind it out in the English county circuit feels more like a fantasy than a feasible plan.
Even if they somehow manage to wrap up their IPL commitments early, what’s the point? The IPL final is on May 25, and the first Test against England is slated for June 20. In that tiny window, there’s room for just one County game. One match isn’t going to magically fix their struggles against the Dukes ball.
Editor's Pick
Cricket
Predicting India squad for IND vs ENG T20Is: Doubts over Shami, Pandya; Samson-Tilak to continue at top
Top Stories
