It is about time Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to domestic cricket and there is no reason for the veteran duo to not do so. Both the Indian captain and the former skipper have been sub-par in Tests so far in 2024, flopping miserably in the three-match Test series against New Zealand. While majority of the Indian cricket team participated in the Duleep Trophy and other red-ball tournaments, Ro-Ko were exempted from participating and instead enjoyed an extended break.
Why Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma must return to first-class cricket
Rohit Sharma managed to score just 91 runs in three matches in IND vs NZ series, scoring just one-half century in his last six innings. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, scored 93 runs in three Tests. The duo did not have a good series against Bangladesh either, forcing some critics to recommend that they return to the domestic circuit in order to prepare well for Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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There is absolutely no reason why Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should not return to first-class cricket. At 39 years of age, the legendary Sachin Tendulkar played his last red-ball domestic match for Mumbai in 2013, just before his retirement. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma played his last first-class match in 2016 while Virat Kohli’s last domestic outing came in 2012.
India will next take on Australia in a five-match Test series from November 22. This means Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will enjoy a small break before flying to Down Under. Virat Kohli’s name appeared on Delhi’s Ranji Trophy probable squad ahead of the tournament while Rohit Sharma remains absent from the domestic circuit. The veteran duo will be hugely benefitted should they take part in at least one round of Ranji Trophy before the IND vs AUS series.
| Player | Inns | Runs | HS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 10 | 195 | 52 |
| Virat Kohli | 10 | 280 | 70 |
The IND vs NZ Test series was supposed to be the preparation camp for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. But nobody in their wildest dreams had expected a Test series loss. Now, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma need to relearn their skills before India vs Australia Test series.
Remember, India have won the last two Border Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. They did not need Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the most part. But now that Rohit-Virat will play the full series, the onus will be on them. In what could be their last tour to Australia in Test, Ro-Ko need to find its form and lead the young batting lineup, especially in the absence of Pujara and Rahane.
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