Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has weighed in on the debate surrounding the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in Test cricket, saying that the next steps in their careers lie in the hands of the national selectors. Gavaskar’s remarks come amidst India’s recent poor performance, including a whitewash at home by New Zealand, and their failure to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Gavaskar’s Thoughts on India’s Recent Failures
Highlighting the inability of India to qualify for the WTC final, first time since its inception, Gavaskar said in an interview with PTI that it should be a cause of deep reflection on why this happened. “The batting had failed as a team and that is why India lost the series against Australia in Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” Former captain Gavaskar said, while pointing out India’s loss, their loss meant that they surrendered the coveted Border Gavaskar Trophy to Australia for the first time in the last decade.
The batting unit did not do much, with the star players Rohit and Kohli failing to deliver. Kohli scored 190 runs in nine innings with a solitary century, while Rohit could only manage 31 runs in five innings. He criticized the batsmen of the team for not crossing 200 runs in six out of the nine innings played in the series.
The Need for Change and a New Generation
Gavaskar stressed that if changes were needed for the upcoming cycle of the WTC, which starts in June 2025 in England, selectors should consider the players who could be in contention for the 2027 final. He suggested that the selectors need to give opportunities to young and upcoming players, particularly those performing well in domestic cricket, to ensure a smooth transition to international cricket.
“There are some good performers coming up in the domestic circuit, and unless they are given a chance, how will we know if they will perform at the international level?” Gavaskar questioned. He emphasized that it is the selectors’ responsibility to provide these players with the opportunity to showcase their talent.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and the Selection Committee Praised
While talking about the recent tour, Gavaskar praised the selectors for unearthing the talent of Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made a century during the tour and impressed everyone with his game. He mentioned that other players, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli, also contributed well with the bat.
Gavaskar praised the work done by Ajit Agarkar along with the selection committee for spotting such hidden talents and giving them a chance in the squad.
Bowling Talent and Bumrah’s Workload
Bowling-wise, Gavaskar admits that India has too many talented pacers coming up. He laid emphasis upon Jasprit Bumrah’s workload to be managed. Gavaskar urged other pacers to come forward to share the burden in order to make a powerful and varied bowling attack that can climb onto success irrespective of the weather conditions.
The Urgency for Sincere Self-Analyses
Addressing the idolization of cricketers, Gavaskar urged to have an honest performance evaluation. “It is indeed very difficult to notice changes in one’s form over time just as one fails to notice how one’s face has changed, when one keeps looking at himself in the mirror every day”, he said, adding that changes can be noted only by the person himself in order to adjust them, both in form and mind”.
He suggested that India’s cricketing culture should promote honesty, where even stars take an honest look at their performances and adapt accordingly.
Considering the dismal performance of India and the old warhorses in Kohli and Rohit, Gavaskar’s message to the selectors is crystal clear: the need for transparent and fair evaluation of both veterans and new talent will be important for India’s future in Test cricket. Now the focus should be on the nurturing of young talent while the experience players must be contributing meaningfully in their respective roles.