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Rohit Sharma did not play the SCG Test (Source: AP Photos)
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is one of the most highly rated Test series in world cricket and the 2024-25 edition lived upto its billing with plenty of twists and turns. However, the Aussies turned out victorious with better all-round cricket and grabbed the BGT trophy after 10 long years.
There were some positives and negatives for both the sides, but as the series progressed, problems for Indian team kept increasing. They eventually lost the series by 3-1 margin and some of their star players failed big time in the series, leaving India heavily dependent on few players.
The series loss have also eliminated India out of the race for World Test Championship final, and we can expect them to start afresh in the next cycle. They will be heading to England for the all-important five-match Test series in June 2025, and the selectors might take some bold calls for that series. Therefore keeping in mind the performances in the recently concluded BGT and the future of Indian cricket, let's see who will be the three players that could miss the series against England.
Rohit Sharma
The current Indian Test skipper did not live upto his billing in Test cricket during the second half of 2024. Overall, he batted in 26 Test innings last year and scored 619 runs with an average of just 24.76. He hit two centuries as well, but all of those came in early part of 2024 against England at home and his formed dipped drastically against Bangladesh, New Zealand and Australia.
Rohit Sharma's Test Performance In 2024
| Innings | Runs | Average |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | 619 | 24.76 |
He scored just 31 runs in five innings against Australia in BGT 2024-25 and eventually did not play the final Test due to his poor form. In his absence, Jasprit Bumrah has done well as captain too, and he could be handed permanent role, putting Rohit's Test future in jeopardy. Also, his opening slot no longer seems open with Yashasvi and Rahul doing decent job, and the team management are likely to look beyond 37-year old Rohit Sharma when they travel to England.
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is another big player who might not be part of the flight to England in June 2025. One of the modern day greats, King Kohli has not been able to deliver with consistency since 2020. Except 2023, he has averaged less that 30 in all years from 2020 and it has now brought his place in the Indian Test side under scanner.
In the recently concluded BGT, he scored century in the first Test, but could muster only 85 runs in seven innings after the Perth Test. He was in poor form in the home season as well and has hit only three centuries after 2019.
| Year | Runs | Average |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 116 | 19.33 |
| 2021 | 536 | 28.21 |
| 2022 | 265 | 26.50 |
| 2023 | 671 | 55.91 |
| 2024 | 417 | 24.52 |
As India go into the next WTC cycle, they might look to groom young players and Indian selectors might finally take the tough decision to leave Virat Kohli out. He also got dismissed to the deliveries outside off in almost all Tests in Australia, a weakness that can be exploited even more in England and it could also play its part in his non-selection for England series.
Harshit Rana
The tall pacer from Delhi made his much-awaited debut against Australia in Perth. He did decently in the first game, but went wicketless in his second Test which was a Day-Night affair. He was dropped after that game and it looked like he still has some work to do before he plays red-ball cricket at the highest level.
Rana not only went wicketless, but also could not stem the run-flow and the inconsistency in lines and lengths reflected lack of first-class experience. He also could not deliver with the bat, something which he has done in India's domestic circuit and the selectors might drop him to make him work on his game more, before he gets into Indian whites again.
Overall, he picked four wickets in two Tests in Australia in conditions that were helpful for pacers and with some other quality options at India's disposal, Rana could face the axe.
 "Aashay Chopade")