Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his belief that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are currently experiencing a temporary slump in form, urging fans not to overreact. Despite their disappointing performances in the recent Test series against New Zealand, Gavaskar emphasized that both players have faced challenging batting conditions and have been unlucky at times.
“Even the best players go through bad patches,” Gavaskar told the Indian Express. “These weren’t easy pitches to bat on in all three matches. Sometimes you need a bit of luck… But when going through a bad patch, everything goes against you.”
Gavaskar also highlighted the importance of match practice for the Indian team, suggesting that the top batters should have participated in the Duleep Trophy prior to the New Zealand series. He noted that the New Zealand bowlers had a better understanding of the Indian pitches due to their experience in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“They should have had some practice, definitely,” Gavaskar said. “It’s a long gap. I know we beat Bangladesh and therefore it looked as if it’s going to be a cakewalk against New Zealand. But New Zealand obviously had the better attack.”
Despite the recent setbacks, Gavaskar remains optimistic about the Indian team’s prospects. He believes that the players will have time to prepare for the upcoming tour of Australia and will be ready to perform at their best.
“India’s Test stars now have a few days off before they start preparations for the Australia tour,” Gavaskar said. “I’m sure they will be working hard to improve their form and get ready for the challenges ahead.”
