Former India head coach Ravi Shastri suggested that struggling Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play domestic cricket to get their mojo back in the longest format of the game. India stars Rohit and Virat recently featured in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia where both batters failed to score runs in five Test match series.
Shastri believes that if Rohit and Virat featured in domestic cricket then it could not only sharpen their skills but also allow them to mentor the younger generation of cricketers.
“If there's a gap for them, I think they should go back and play some domestic cricket and see how it is. Because when you play Test match cricket for that length of time, it's important to play domestic cricket for two reasons: You're abreast with the current generation (and) you can contribute to that younger generation with your experience," Shastri told ICC Review.
India captain Rohit who missed two Test matches of the five-Test match series scored just 31 runs in five innings with an abysmal average of 6.20. On the other hand, Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten century in the first Test match failed to carry the momentum and ended the series scoring just 190 runs in five Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
"If you have quality spinners in the opposition, they can trouble you. And they have troubled India," Shastri stated, pointing to the importance of match practice against such conditions.
While offering practical advice, Shastri left the final decision to Kohli and Rohit, focusing on their hunger and desire to continue in the longest format. "They would know how hungry they are. When you're in your 30s - one is 36, the other is 38 - it's the hunger and desire that matter."
After losing 3-1 against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Team India are out of the World Test Championship (WTC) final contention. The next red ball assignment for India will be a five-Test match series against England scheduled to start from June 20.