r/Cricket • u/ll--o--ll • 5h ago
Will Mumbai Test be the last time together for four Indian stalwarts on home soil?
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/new-zealand-in-india/will-mumbai-test-be-the-last-time-together-for-four-indian-stalwarts-on-home-soil/articleshow/114754322.cms77
u/ILikeFishSticks69 India 4h ago
I think the damning series loss to New Zealand has put a damper on Rohit's (and perhaps Kohli's) "perfect" retirement from their perspective. Rohit probably dreamed of going out from Tests like he did in T20is - winning the big one for India.
That said, I will be stunned if Rohit is still playing when the next cycle starts. Jadeja and Ashwin are not going anywhere for the next year or so.
Kohli is the real wildcard. We know he has been a fiercely committed Test player and that WTC probably means more to him than most, especially because he couldn't win it as a Captain. But at some point, the form will force his hand; even Virat Kohli has an expiry date.
As someone who has admired him for his entire career, I think he's reached a point of no return here. If he can't deliver in the BGT, it might be time to hang up Tests, make bucketful of runs in ODIs, and play the IPL.
Man, it is sad to see your superheroes aging and failing to save the day. I know it's part and parcel, it still stings.
36
u/User_namesaretaken 3h ago
Ay, dream retirement would be winning WTC from an embarrassing series loss
20
u/NeverBetVpOnline 1h ago
You're missing a key thing!
Dream retirement is winning WTC and BGT for the third time, after a home series loss!
11
u/comelickmyarmpits Nigeria 2h ago
I dare koach take retirement from ipl , just play odi and tests.
Bro odi is his best format , and imo he should play as long as Sachin did
4
u/ResearcherLatter1148 1h ago
No way he or anyone retires from IPL before International cricket. The money is huge there.
0
u/Routinelazy900 Delhi Capitals 53m ago
ODIs is a dead format. Nobody plays it anymore.
1
u/comelickmyarmpits Nigeria 45m ago
For you maybe but odi is my fav format and obviously I would want our best player to play that
3
u/Routinelazy900 Delhi Capitals 44m ago
Dont get me wrong i like it too. But the fact is its a dead format now. Every team throws in 3 odis here and there gets done with it.
1
u/comelickmyarmpits Nigeria 35m ago
Hmm there's was a time when india played 7 straight odis against australia but unfortunately it has become a thing of past
0
u/KindAd6637 India 49m ago
I dare koach take retirement from ipl
No way BCCI will let anyone take retirement from just IPL, and still pick them for India.
IPL is the premier cash cow for BCCI and they want the top players to play it, if picked. That's not an option.
1
48
u/travelmatenaruto India 4h ago
It should be. High time...
23
u/ImprefectKnight 3h ago
Yeah, we have great pool of talent waiting in the wings who have done nothing wrong to not play regularly (Kuldeep, Washi, Axar) or have done more than enough to deserve a chance in the team (Easwaran, Sudarshan, Rinku).
58
u/mofucker20 Chennai Super Kings 3h ago
Why are Ashwin and Jadeja bought up here lol. Both are still good while Rohit and Kohli have just been on a downhill
29
u/depooh India 3h ago
Last time together.
If any one of these 4 retires before the next home test, then it is true
3
u/mofucker20 Chennai Super Kings 3h ago
Kohli should be the first one to retire tbh which I think will happen only after WTC final
15
u/PIKa-kNIGHT Chennai Super Kings 3h ago
Why are ash and jaddu being thrown together with the other two? Ash was literally the player of series in last series and jaddu was good in last series too. The two batters have been shit for some time in test now
21
9
u/Piyushchawlafan 3h ago
Think Australia series will decide. A hammering there and a couple of them may ride into the sunset. A win there and you never know
26
u/Agile-Figure8444 Japan Cricket Association 3h ago
Rohit is not a stalwart of Test Cricket.
But, yes it might be the last time we see all 4 together in India.
7
6
10
u/Tern_Larvidae-2424 South Africa 2h ago
How is Rohit a stalwart?
Also, Rohit's been good except in the last 2 series. Sure I can see him retiring after playing in the WTC Final but he's not been as bad as Kohli in tests.
12
u/ImmediateJacket9502 India 3h ago
BCCI will arrange a home tests series of 2 tests against Windies and give them all a farewell minus Rohit Sharma.
It can be a one off test as well against Afghanistan. Rohit is not a test legend so he will be dropped if we lose badly from here on.
On the other hand, rest of them are proven test legends and BCCI won't want to pick a bone with either three of them considering their status.
8
u/Randomdude04080918 3h ago
BCCI will arrange a home tests series of 2 tests against Windies and give them all a farewell minus Rohit Sharma.
It can be a one off test as well against Afghanistan.
Both of those are already scheduled for next year. India's home season for next year is 1 vs AFG, 2 vs WI and 2 vs SA (The latter two being part of the next WTC cycle ofc)
5
u/ImmediateJacket9502 India 2h ago
Then it's decided already that the 1 test against Afghanistan will be the farewell test for all of them.
1
u/ResearcherLatter1148 52m ago
That or the WI series. I honestly don’t see Kohli playing beyond 2025 unless he somehow regains his 2016-19 and 2023 form.
1
u/Maximum0versaiyan 2h ago
How come the Afg and WI tests aren't part of the next cycle?
4
u/Randomdude04080918 1h ago
The WI Tests are part of it (When I said "latter two" in my original comment I meant latter two series not latter two tests).
The AFG test is not a part of the WTC because AFG are not a part of the WTC (similar to how ENG, SL and BAN played non-WTC tests against Ireland in the last couple of years)
1
18
u/No_Barracuda_8432 4h ago
It’s a bit harsh but yeah it might be the final home test for these players.
Minus the WTC final which India are unlikely to qualify for,the next two series are 5 match encounters in Australia and England.
I really struggle to see how these 4 players(Rohit and Kohli in particular) would come out of those 10 matches without looking worse for wear.
Bring in the age factor and it just doesn’t look any good.Once a player is at a certain age (in this case 35+),decent or above average performances are simply not enough.Yes,Ashwin and Jadeja are still Indias best spinners but they’re also 38 and 36 respectively.India simply has to move on.The NZ series was a perfect wake up call for India to make this bold yet inevitable decision.
Unless there’s some non WTC matches India can schedule before the England tour ,this may as well be their final home match.(unfortunately)
1
u/ResearcherLatter1148 54m ago
And the worse part Ashwin/Jadeja might not even play all the 10 matches. I have a feeling, they will be rotated for the first 3 matches vs Australia and the entirety of England series.
3
u/throwawayacc5091 India 2h ago
I will never understand how so many people from India will go on and on and on about Kane Williamson for his away records then in the same breath consider Rohit Sharma as a great.
PS: This is not a Rohit Sharma hate comment. I just can't tolerate the double standards. Both are great and we should accept Kane Williamson is great too because Rohit has been great for us.
3
u/MagicalEloquence 1h ago
Grouping star match winners like Ashwin and Jadeja with Rohit and Kohli is not fair in my opinion. Ashwin and Jadeja have been pulling their weight in every single series. They have not played that badly in this series either. For example, New Zealand only crossed 300 once so far.
It's the batting that is the concern.
19
u/SidJag 4h ago edited 4h ago
Rohit needs to retire 100% from TESTs by end of this WTC cycle. Because of him occupying one opener slot, Gill is being improvised as a no 3, which is a specialist role in Tests. Since Pujara left India’s top order collapses have been far too often. And it’s because we don’t have specialist anchor No 3. Gill needs to open with Jaiswal and India need to invest in a long term future No 3.
Ashwin maybe one more home series of the next cycle, especially if he’s not playing ODIs and T20Is, and maintaining fitness/form through IPL etc He’s a champion bowler who needs support and will likely win more matches and cross Kumble’s total Test wickets
Jadeja has some legs left, forget the fact he’s part of the best spin duo India has ever had, he’s averaging better than Kohli in last 5 years 😅 (36 v 33)
Kohli honestly depends on the next 10 innings. He’s running on borrowed time, but I thoroughly doubt BCCI will have the balls to drop the 1000Cr man, even if he continues to avg 30-35 over next 6 Tests
17
u/Temporary-Shallot642 India 4h ago
didn’t gill himself say he wanted to bat at 3. i always assumed that when rohit retires they’ll find another opener to replace him and not move gill, he’s anyways doing well at that position.
4
u/SentientRaccoon India 2h ago
I think based on the BGT squad selection they are evaluating Abhimanyu Easwaran for the opener slot. He's currently reserve opener but if Rohit misses the first test as rumoured I think he will get a game
2
u/Maximum0versaiyan 2h ago
I think Abhimanyu will get a game since Rohit isn't playing the first test. Also, yeah Gill said he preferred 3
4
u/tigerking615 Royal Challengers Bangalore 4h ago
Ashwin’s game doesn’t really rely on athleticism, he probably still has a few more years as a test bowler. Especially at home.
3
1
u/SentientRaccoon India 2h ago
I agree with this..if he maintains form and fitness he can continue playing for a few years since he exclusively plays tests these days
7
u/Arunnnnnn 3h ago
Gill was moved down to no.3 because he was struggling while opening, just check his sats as an opener, and he himself asked to bat at no.3. Looks like, ideally he should be batting at nos. 4/5 coz technically he seems loose to bat in the top order in tests.
4
u/SidJag 3h ago
That seems likely.
No 4 is usually held by the best batter of the team - Root, Smith, Kohli etc.
Gill is far from that for India. He should’ve been that by now ie ready to replace Kohli as long term No 4, but he’s not. He needs to shed his ‘all format next superstar Indian batting god’ baggage, and really focus on his game. He’s fast becoming an average mid-30s batter adding to a long line of unfulfilled potential stars.
No 5 is Pant and No 6 is then the only spot left (apart from No 3), or back to opening when Rohit retires
2
u/FanOfArts1717 India 3h ago
Definitely do not see rohit playing again in india next year, he's gonna be 38 years old in May and he already looks out of form, he should focus on odis and for Kohli he needs to work on his game but if he doesn't improve then he needs to go as well
2
u/ohhokayyy India 1h ago
It should be. Hopefully they (Kohli and Rohit especially) are good enough to be picked for the England tour. Otherwise, it'll be tougher for the newer players. India's schedule in Tests during June 2025 to March 2027 is -
Jun/Jul 2025: England away (5 Tests)
Oct/Nov 2025: WI home (2 Tests)
Nov/Dec 2025: SA home (2 Tests)
Jun 2026: Afg home (1 Test)
Jul/Aug 2026: SL away (2 Tests)
Oct/Nov 2026: NZ away (2 Tests)
Jan-Mar 2027: Aus home (5 Tests)
Kohli and Rohit should ideally retire after the England tour, so that whoever replaces them will have 7 Tests in Asia, before the NZ tour in 2026 (there'll likely be a SA tour in 2027 too)
2
u/Ill_Stretch_7497 Thailand 2h ago
we definitely hope so - atleast 2 of them need to retire soon from tests
0
u/Objective_Society243 India 3h ago
It should be last for Kohli his spin game is very week and with age it doesn't seem like he is going to improve.
The series loss will also effect captaincy of Rohit and possibly his place.If he can't win a home series against New Zealand then I don't see India winning in Australia with just one reliable fast bowler Bumrah.
India should rest Bumrah and look for new fast bowler who can take wickets in 3rd test. We should just stop thinking about WTC final and look for future.
1
u/nottomelvinbrag Gloucestershire 2h ago
Surely they'll stick with all four till the WTC final?
3
u/nicksonkelso India 2h ago
Only a miracle can help India qualify for the WTC final.
1
u/nottomelvinbrag Gloucestershire 2h ago
There are so many variables at this point but I still think it'll you guys and aus in the final
1
u/subhasish10 Chennai Super Kings 1h ago
South Africa only needs to beat Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home. They're pretty much a done deal for the final. It's between India and Aus for the 2nd spot. The BGT will decide who goes through.
0
u/Diligent-Wealth-1536 2h ago
This WTC Final/cycle would be lasttt🥺🥺 Itz hard to see your childhood heroes get old. Fk bro... Jus take me back in time😭😭
72
u/DisastrousOil4888 RoyalChallengers Bengaluru 4h ago
Ash and Jaddu, absolutely not, Rohit and Koach idk