Shastri responded to a query from commentator Mark Nicholas regarding the difficulties faced by both players in the current Border-Gavaskar series.
During commentary on the fifth day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), former Indian cricketer and coach Ravi Shastri expressed his opinions about the future of top players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Shastri responded to a query from commentator Mark Nicholas regarding the difficulties faced by both players in the current Border-Gavaskar series.
“I think Virat will play for some time. Forget the way he got out, or whatever. I think he’ll play for another three or four years. As far as Rohit is concerned, it’s a call. At the top of the order, you know, just feel the footwork isn’t the same. He’s probably, at times, late in meeting the ball so it’s his call at the end of the series,” Shastri added.
Because of their poor performances in the current series against Australia, Kohli and Sharma have both been under fire.
Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Rohit Sharma all failed to contribute in the most recent game; they were dismissed in the opening session.
Rohit scored just nine runs off 40 balls before flicking a Pat Cummins delivery to the gully. Rahul was knocked for a duck following an outstanding delivery from Cummins, while Kohli was caught at first slip by Mitchell Starc, making only five runs off 29 balls after chasing a wide delivery.
Rohit was removed for just three runs in the first innings, but Kohli put up a fight, hitting 36 runs off 86 deliveries.
In the middle session, Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s solid partnership gave India a momentary spark. But in the end, Australia took back the initiative. Nathan Lyon trapped Mohammed Siraj leg-before to give Australia the victory, and Scott Boland removed Jasprit Bumrah with a nick to Steve Smith at first slip.
