India's head coach Gautam Gambhir hinted at the state of domestic cricket while addressing the ongoing concerns about the future of senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in Test matches. This comment came after India faced a six-wicket defeat in Sydney on Day 3 of the fifth Test, which was crucial for reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after ten years.

Kohli and Rohit have been under scrutiny due to their struggles in the traditional format since September last year, leading to speculation that they might consider retiring from Test cricket, similar to Ravichandran Ashwin's recent decision.

The Indian captain, who missed the final Test of the series due to his poor performance, managed only 164 runs in 15 innings during this stretch, averaging just 10.93 with one half-century. In Australia, he scored a disappointing 31 runs at an average of 6.20, marking the lowest performance by a touring captain in that country. Kohli fared slightly better with 382 runs in 19 innings at an average of 22.47, including one century and one fifty, but he also had a tough time, especially during the New Zealand series and the Australian tour, where he was dismissed by balls outside off stump seven out of eight times.

What lies ahead for Rohit and Kohli in Test cricket?

There's a lot of chatter going around about the future of Indian cricket legends Kohli and Rohit, especially with the selectors still undecided on their roles for the upcoming WTC cycle starting in June with the England tour. Gambhir was a bit tight-lipped during a press conference in Sydney but expressed his belief that both players will make decisions that are best for the team.

"I can't predict what any player will do in the future. It's really up to them. But I can say they still have that drive and passion. They're resilient, and I hope they keep pushing Indian cricket forward. Ultimately, whatever they decide, it will be in the best interest of the team," he mentioned.

"My role is to be straightforward with everyone. I don’t just focus on a select few players. I need to treat every player equally, whether it's someone making their debut or a veteran with 100 Test matches under their belt. Fairness is key," he added.

Gambhir also hinted that he hopes Kohli and Rohit, along with a few others, might consider playing in the latter part of the Ranji Trophy season, which kicks off later this month.

"I always encourage everyone to participate in domestic cricket if they can. If you're committed to red-ball cricket, then you should play domestically," he said.

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