The India star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had some serious blowback in the test format ahead of the highly anticipated Border Gavaskar Trophy which is set to begin on 22nd November 2024.
During the third and final tests of the New Zealand tour of India 2024, Virat and Rohit were dismissed for low scores. Rohit Sharma scored 18 and 11 runs in the Mumbai test while Virat Kohli had scores of 4 and 1 in the match. His woes against spinners continued as he handed a catch to Daryl Mitchell at slips.
The underwhelming performance of the star batters in the home tests against Bangladesh and Kiwis has raised concerns ahead of the high-profile BGT series. Only a massive win in the series would help India’s WTC final spot without depending on other teams’ match results.
Rohit Sharma had the best form in T20 cricket this year with an average of 36.13 and a strike rate of 154.66. In the ongoing WTC 2023-25 cycle, Rohit scored 833 runs in 14 tests with an average of 33.32 including three centuries and four fifties.
In the year 2024, Rohit opened and scored 588 runs in 11 tests with an average of 29.40 including two centuries and two fifties. This average has been the lowest for him in a calendar year since he emerged as an opener in the format in 2019.
Rohit Sharma Performance (Last Five Matches)
Rohit has scored only 133 runs at an average of 13.30 with a half-century in the last 10 innings of the season 2024. Check out his scores in the last five matches.
IND vs NZ 3rd Test(November 01-05) – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- 1st innings – 18 (18) | (c) Tom Latham (b) Matt Henry
- 2nd innings – 11 (11) | (c) Phillips (b) Matt Henry
IND vs NZ 2nd Test(October 24-28) – Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
- 1st innings – 0 (9) | (c) Tim Southee
- 2nd innings – 8 (16) | (c) Will Young (b) Mitchell Santner
IND vs NZ 1st Test(October 16-20) – M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
- 1st innings – 2 (16) | (b) Tim Southee
- 2nd innings – 52 (63) | (b) Ajaz Patel
IND vs BAN 2nd Test(September 27- October 01) – Green Park Stadium, Kanpur
- 1st innings – 23 (11) | (b) Mehidy Hasan Miraz
- 2nd innings – 8 (7) | (c) Hasan Mahmud (b) Mehidy Hasan Miraz
IND vs BAN 1st test(September 19-23) – M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- 1st innings – 6 (19) | (c) Najmul Shanto (b) Hasan Mahmud
- 2nd innings – 5 (7) | (c) Zakir Hasan (b) Taskin Ahmed
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli’s numbers are comparatively higher but his spine woes have gotten worse. In the ongoing WTC 2023-25 cycle, Virat Kohli has amassed 561 runs in nine tests at an average of 37.40 in 16 innings.
In the year 2024, Virat Kohli scored just 250 runs in 12 test innings across six matches he played with an average of 22.72.
Virat Kohli Performance (Last Five Matches)
In five tests Virat Kohli has scored only 192 runs in the last 10 innings at an average of 21.33 with just one fifty.
IND vs NZ 3rd Test(November 01-05) – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- 1st innings – 4 (6) run out (Matt Henry)
- 2nd innings – 1 (7) | (c) Mitchell (b) Ajaz Patel
IND vs NZ 2nd Test(October 24-28) – Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
- 1st innings – 1 (09) | (b) Mitchell Santner
- 2nd innings – 17 (40) lbw (b) Mitchell Santner
IND vs NZ 1st Test(October 16-20) – M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
- 1st innings – 0 (9) | (c) Glenn Phillips (b) William O’Rourke
- 2nd innings – 70 (102) | (c) Tom Blundell (b) Glenn Phillips
IND vs BAN 2nd Test(September 27- October 01) – Green Park Stadium, Kanpur
- 1st innings – 47 (35) | (b) Shakib Al Hasan
- 2nd innings – 29* (37) Not Out
IND vs BAN 1st test(September 19-23) – M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- 1st innings – 6 (6) | (c) Litton Das (b) Hasan Mahmud and
- 2nd innings – 17 (37) lbw (b) Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Their performance in the upcoming BGT will have a huge impact on India’s chances for the WTC final next year in London. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma has indicated that he will likely miss the first test against Australia due to personal reasons.
After the series defeat, India moved to the second spot while Australia moved to the top spot in the WTC points table. The result of the Australia tests will have a huge impact on India’s third straight qualification for the WTC finals.
