Ravi Shastri sheds light on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli’s Test future amid poor form in BGT against Australia

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri believes while Virat Kohli will continue to play in the red-ball version, there will be discussions regarding Rohit Sharma’s Test future amid the veteran duo’s poor form in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia.

India suffered a 184-run loss in the fourth Test at the MCG on Monday and have conceded a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. While Rohit returned with scores of 3 and 9 at the G, Kohli registered scores of 36 and 5 in the penultimate Test match.

Shastri noted that Rohit Sharma’s footwork isn’t the same and that’s why he is struggling for runs. Rohit has managed a solitary fifty in his last 15 Test innings. In fact, both Rohit and Virat had an average of less than 25 in 2024 in Test cricket.

“As far as Rohit is concerned, it’s a call. At the top of the order, his footwork isn’t the same. He is probably, at times, a little late in meeting the ball. So it’s his call at the end of the series,” Shastri told Star Sports.

“No, I think Virat Kohli will play. Virat will play for some time, forget the way he got out today. I think he will play for 3 or 4 more years.”

Shastri reckons Rohit has been tested by the Australian bowling attack and his weakness has been exposed. Rohit showed some resistance on the final day but was caught a gully.

“This is the mode of dismissal. Rohit Sharma, at his best, that front foot would be closer to the pitch of the ball. There’s a trigger movement and then the front foot stays planted. So the bat goes at the ball, so you are playing away from the body,” Shastri explained in the same interview.

“They have bowled well at him. You can say ‘try and attack the bowling’. But, they gave you nothing. This is the best I think Australia have bowled in one spell as a unit,” he added.

The fifth and final Test match between Australia and India will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 onwards.