Former India selector Sunil Joshi has called out Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for their recent poor batting performances, emphasizing that the responsibility lies with the players themselves rather than the BCCI or the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee. Joshi’s comments come after both senior batters faced criticism for their struggles against Bangladesh and New Zealand in recent series.
Kohli managed only 93 runs in the New Zealand series, averaging just 15.50, his lowest in a home series over the last seven years. Similarly, Rohit’s performances have been lackluster, scoring just 42 runs in two matches against Bangladesh—the second-worst of his career at home—and only 91 runs against New Zealand, averaging a mere 15.16. These dismal numbers have raised questions about their future, with many pointing to the upcoming tour of Australia as a potential make-or-break series for both players.
Critics have also questioned why Kohli and Rohit skipped the Duleep Trophy in September, a key domestic tournament where many other Indian players were involved to prepare for the challenging Test calendar ahead.
However, Sunil Joshi believes the blame should not be directed at the BCCI or the selectors but should fall on the players themselves for not participating in domestic cricket when the opportunity arose. Joshi stated, “Let’s not put everything on the BCCI. It’s individual responsibility as well. Players need to take initiative. They should have said, ‘I will go and play Ranji Trophy, I will go and play Duleep Trophy.’”
Joshi further stressed that domestic cricket is crucial for players to prepare for the rigors of Test cricket, especially when facing spin-heavy pitches. “You know that you are going to play on turning or slow wickets, so you need to go back to Ranji Trophy or domestic cricket to get match-ready for the red-ball format,” he added.
The former cricketer also pointed out that if India’s top batsmen continue to struggle against spin, they need to play more domestic cricket to improve. “If our top players are not getting runs against spin bowling, what’s the solution? They need to play more domestic cricket, as they did earlier in their careers before making the jump to Test cricket. No one is bigger than the game. Everyone faces ups and downs,” Joshi concluded.
Joshi’s remarks come at a time when India is gearing up for an important Test series in Australia, with much attention focused on the performances of their senior players.
