Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra feels Virat Kohli has a more realistic chance of getting back in form than Indian skipper Rohit Sharma. Both the veteran batters have struggle to score consistent runs in the recent past.
Kohli and Rohit averaged less than 25 in 2024 in Test cricket and they will look to turn the tables in 2025. Kohli scored a fine century in the second innings at Perth but barring that knock, he hasn’t been able to get big scores in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia.
Kohli has scored 167 runs in seven innings against the Aussies at an average of 27.83. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma has returned with scores of 3, 6, 10, 3, and 9 in the ongoing Test series and thus has accumulated only 31 runs at 6.20.
“You feel there is a slight fitness issue with Rohit. He is getting late and you cannot struggle against fast bowling as an opener. As for Virat, he is struggling against deliveries outside off-stump and doing so consistently. The numbers have been very bad this year and bad in SENA countries for the last four or five years,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“He has scored only three centuries in the last four or five years, one of which came just now in Perth. So he hasn’t scored runs if you see from that angle. However, with Virat, you still feel there could be a plausible turnaround. It looks slightly more than Rohit. That’s my thinking,” Chopra added.
Meanwhile, Kohli scored a decent knock of 36 runs in the first innings at the MCG and looked comfortable at the crease before he was once again caught behind. The renowned commentator reckons Kohli is also racing against time to find his form.
“He is extremely fit. When a guy is so fit and lives his life with so much discipline, you expect him to come back based on his discipline. However, the time is also running out for Virat Kohli, I will be very honest. At some stage, he will also have to think about what he needs to do,” he said.
The fifth and final Test match between Australia and India will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 onwards.
