"Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's Condition Is Like Babar Azam": Ex-Pakistan Star Draws Blunt Parallel

After India's shocking 0-3 Test series loss to New Zealand, star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have come under severe criticism for their poor form. Both players struggled throughout the series, with Rohit scoring just 91 runs at an average of 15.16 and Virat contributing 93 runs at an average of 15.50.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali drew a blunt comparison, suggesting that Kohli and Sharma's struggles mirror those of Pakistan's Babar Azam, who has also been facing a tough run with the bat. Ali remarked, “Babar ke baad, Rohit aur Virat ki bhi wahi situation ho gayi hai, form kharaab (After Babar, Rohit and Virat are also in the same situation, poor form)."

Ali specifically pointed out Rohit Sharma's technical issues, citing a moment in the third Test where Sharma missed deliveries and his foot movement appeared out of sync. He noted that this poor footwork, coupled with moments of rash batting like a reverse sweep, indicated that Sharma was far from his best.

The former Pakistan cricketer further criticized both Kohli and Sharma for lacking sufficient "Test match practice," and suggested they should play domestic cricket before India's upcoming series against Australia. "Virat Kohli, out of touch, not in form at all. He needs to play domestically before flying to Australia, Rohit also," Ali stated. He emphasized that domestic cricket could provide the much-needed practice ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Ali also highlighted that while younger players like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been putting up consistent performances, Kohli and Sharma have been given a free pass to avoid domestic cricket, which he believes has affected their form.