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'India Got Some Problems': Chappell Sounds Alarm On Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's Age

Rajgeeta Yadav

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli [Source: @Sachin_Gandhi7/X.com]Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli [Source: @Sachin_Gandhi7/X.com]

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On October 26, Team India suffered an embarrassing 113-run defeat to New Zealand at the MCA Stadium in Pune. New Zealand ended India's 4,331-day home Test series winning streak, clinching their first series win in India in 69 years. This rare defeat raised questions about senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and their careers.

The Indian skipper could only managed eight runs in the second Test which was his lowest score at home in Test. Six of his last eight innings have seen him dismissed for single-digit scores, and this series loss is India's first at home in 12 years.

Kohli Struggle Continues In Test

The challenges don’t stop with Rohit. Virat Kohli, once one of India’s most consistent players, has been visibly struggling, especially on Indian pitches. His current form is a far cry from the days when he would regularly dominate games. His poor decisions, missed shots and frequent LBWs indicate that he is not at his best. Which certainly sparked discussions about his future in cricket.

Cricket legend Ian Chappell has pointed out the underlying issue of ageing for both Rohit and Kohli. With Rohit turning 37 in April and Kohli approaching 36 in November, Chappell warns that age may soon impact their consistency and performance. 

“India have got some batting problems…You’ve got Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who are both ageing. And you get to that point where people start talking about it and maybe it starts to creep in the head a little bit ‘Are we getting to that age where it all starts to go downhill?’ They are both at that age," Chappell said.

“The only thing I would say against that is they are coming to Australia, where the pitches will be pretty good, but there’ll be the extra bounce and if they have gone over the top, that extra bounce will find them out," he added.

To avoid a series whitewash, India are focused on securing a win in the final Test against New Zealand on November 1 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. With a tighter lead at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) table, India now aim for a top-two finish to ensure a spot in the WTC Final. Following the New Zealand series, India will head to Australia for the five-match Border-Gavaskar series, a crucial opportunity for Kohli and Rohit to reestablish their positions as core players for India.