Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli: The year 2024 was very bad for the two veteran players of Team India, Captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both these stalwarts of Team India proved to be huge flops in Test cricket and their batting figures were quite shameful. Rohit Sharma definitely showed some strength during the first half of 2024 and he scored two centuries and one half-century in Test cricket, but after that his batting was quite disappointing.
For Virat Kohli, who has proved his batting prowess all over the world, this year has been worse than Rohit and he would not like to remember this year in his Test career. He managed to score only one Test century and one half-century in more than one and a half dozen innings. This is why now the pressure has increased on these two legendary batsmen to retire from Test cricket so that other talented players can get a chance in the team.
Rohit disappointed in 2024
Talking about Test cricket, in 2024 both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have an average of more than 25. If we talk about Rohit Sharma, he has played 26 innings in Test cricket during 2024 and during this period he has managed to score only 619 runs. In the initial phase of this year, he definitely scored two centuries with his bat but after that his batting has been continuously silent and his average has been 24.76.
Failed in the series against Australia
Captain Rohit Sharma’s batting during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy being played in Australia has been quite disappointing. So far he has played five innings of three Test matches and during this he has been able to score only 31 runs. Bumrah has taken 30 wickets in this series but Rohit’s total figure is only 31 runs.
He has been able to reach double figures only once and his highest score has been only 10 runs. Even during the Test match played in Melbourne, Rohit played a big role in India’s defeat and he proved to be a complete flop. He was out after hitting bad shots in both the innings of the Melbourne Test.
It was a very bad year for Virat Kohli too
Now if we talk about Team India’s former captain and veteran batsman Virat Kohli, then this year has been very bad for Virat Kohli also. This year he has batted in 19 Test innings and during these innings he has scored only 417 runs at an average of 24.52. In this year’s Test innings, he has managed to score only one century and one half-century.
Virat’s performance in the series is also disappointing
Virat Kohli’s performance during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has also been quite disappointing. In this Test series being played against Australia, he has so far played seven innings in four Test matches and during this he has scored only 167 runs with the help of one century. Facing 315 balls, his average was 27.83.
A big innings was expected from Virat Kohli during the Melbourne Test match but Virat Kohli was out while playing carelessly and India had to face a crushing defeat by 184 runs in the Melbourne Test match.
Test career of Rohit Sharma and Virat
If we look at captain Rohit Sharma’s Test career, so far he has played 114 innings in 66 Test matches and during this he has scored 4289 runs at an average of 41.24. During this period, he has scored 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries. His highest score has been 212 runs.
On the other hand, Virat Kohli has played 121 test matches so far. During 206 innings of the Test match, he has scored 9166 runs at an average of 47.49. Virat Kohli has scored 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries in his Test career and his highest score has been unbeaten 254 runs.
Retirement pressure on both the veterans
After disappointing performance in 2024, the pressure of retirement has increased on both the legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both the players have already retired from T20 International cricket after the final of T20 World Cup 2024. Now, after repeated failures, fans are venting their anger on these players on social media also.
Ravichandran Ashwin had announced his retirement during the Test series against Australia and now it is believed that head coach Gautam Gambhir along with selection committee head Ajit Agarkar will have to take a difficult decision regarding these two legendary players. . However, experts believe that before any tough decision, a big announcement can be made by these two giants.