Team India's star batsmen, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, are currently facing a tough time with their batting, especially in Test matches. Kohli managed to score just 190 runs in five Tests against Australia, including a century in the first game, while Rohit opted out of the last Test due to his poor performance, totaling only 31 runs in five innings. This slump has led to criticism and raised concerns about their future in the team.

Despite this, former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has come out in support of the duo, arguing that they deserve more time and “respect.” In an interview with Sports Today, Sidhu pointed to examples of past players like Mark Taylor and Sourav Ganguly, who were given extended opportunities to bounce back.

“You can’t just drop someone after two months of bad form. Sure, you can’t just rely on past successes, but you need to allow some leeway. Mark Taylor struggled for a year and a half, (Mohammed) Azharuddin had his tough times, and (Sourav) Ganguly mentioned that he could fail for eight innings, but it only takes one good performance to turn things around,” Sidhu explained.

Don't hold it against them

Sidhu emphasized that both players were crucial in securing India's T20 World Cup win recently, and as the team prepares for another limited-overs season, this time in ODIs, it's vital to support Rohit and Kohli. He criticized the blame game directed at them, particularly Kohli, pointing out that fans often cross the line with their criticism.

“They brought home a World Cup just six months ago, and now we have a whole ODI season ahead. You can't just single them out while ignoring others. Who has been consistent with the red ball? Blaming is the easy route. It's simple to throw stones, but some people turn those stones into something great, and these two are perfect examples,” Sidhu remarked.

“This isn’t the first time Kohli has faced backlash; people even involve his wife. That’s not right; we need to respect our heroes and show some patience. Everyone has tough times.”

When asked about their Test performances, Sidhu mentioned that Kohli would likely take a closer look at his weaknesses, review his footage, and come back stronger. As for Rohit, he needs to focus on his fitness.

“He goes home, watches his videos, and will notice his bat is moving away from his body. He’ll figure it out. Rohit has to work on his fitness because he’s an exceptional player,” Sidhu added.

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