The Indian cricket team is facing a rough patch right now, and things have been made tougher by the ongoing struggles of veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rohit had to sit out the first Test for paternity leave, with Jasprit Bumrah stepping in as the stand-in captain while India secured a win in Perth. However, since Rohit returned after that match, the team's performance in Australia has taken a nosedive. He played three Tests on this tour but only managed a highest score of 10, and now he’s been left out of the playing XI for the final match in Sydney.

On the other hand, Kohli did score a classic hundred in the second innings in Perth, but since then, he seems to have lost his touch, struggling with self-doubt in his shot choices. He’s been particularly troubled by balls outside the off stump, leading to several dismissals caught behind.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar shared his thoughts on Kohli's current form while speaking on Star Sports. He pointed out that Kohli seems to be dealing with a "technical problem." Manjrekar noted, “Given Kohli's impressive track record, he always puts in his best effort. However, his confidence seems to be fading. He’s doing everything right in terms of fitness and dedication, but there’s clearly a technical issue at play, and now confidence is becoming a problem too.”

Get out there and play some county cricket

India's upcoming Test series will take place after the Champions Trophy, and they'll be heading to England. Manjrekar suggested that Rohit and Kohli should consider playing county cricket if the selectors continue to support them.

“The next series is going to be tough for Virat since England will present similar challenges. The balls will be swinging outside the off stump. If Rohit and Virat want to keep playing and the selectors are backing them, I think it would be great for them to play county cricket to show they’re ready for the big decisions ahead. Retirement is a personal choice, but leaving players out is up to the selectors,” he mentioned.

India is making a potential comeback in the final Test, aiming to finish the series with a 2-2 draw. After scoring 185 in their first innings, they managed to limit Australia to 181 runs. By the end of Day 2, the visitors were at 141/6, holding a lead of 145 runs at the SCG.

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