Irfan Pathan and Sunil Gavaskar, both former Indian cricketers, have voiced their worries, while head coach Gautam Gambhir hinted at some issues during his press conference in Sydney. Now, another member of the Indian team management has suggested that returning to domestic cricket might be the way to regain form, especially with concerns surrounding Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's performances.

Kohli managed to score only 90 runs aside from his century in Perth, marking his least successful tour of Australia, leading to an average of just over 30 since 2022. Rohit hasn't fared any better, with a mere 31 runs across five innings, resulting in a dismal average of 6.2. In fact, he has only accumulated 164 runs in his last eight Tests since September, with just one fifty to show for it.

In light of their struggles, experts and Gambhir have recommended that these senior players participate in domestic cricket, especially with the second half of the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy season kicking off on January 23.

A team management member shared with The Indian Express that while domestic cricket won't solve every issue, it can definitely help Test players find their rhythm for the longer format. They also expressed concern that without game time, Kohli, Rohit, and others who struggled in Australia might see their red-ball skills stagnate, particularly since India won’t play another Test until June 23, when the new World Test Championship cycle begins.

“Without regular matches, their game will stagnate… Transitioning from red ball to white ball is straightforward, but the reverse is tough. Playing Ranji games consistently helps maintain that rhythm,” the source noted.

When did Kohli and Rohit last play in the Ranji Trophy?

Kohli hasn't played in a Ranji Trophy match since 2012, which was right after he made his Test debut. Interestingly, Sachin Tendulkar, another cricket legend, last participated in the tournament in 2013, the same year he hung up his boots from international cricket. Pathan pointed this out during his rant after the Sydney Test, emphasizing the lack of commitment from today's Indian cricketers towards domestic competitions.

On a different note, Rohit hasn't been part of the domestic tournament for nine years. Plus, in the last four years, key Test players like Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, and K L Rahul haven't played in the Ranji Trophy either.

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