Ravichandran Ashwin's mid-tour retirement and Virat Kohli's future set to be addressed in BCCI meetings
Published - 08 Jan 2025, 02:33 PM | Updated - 08 Jan 2025, 11:37 PM
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Indian cricket is currently in turmoil after the team’s embarrassing 1-3 Test series loss to Australia, marking their first-ever defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in a decade. With a string of defeats, including a whitewash at home at the hands of New Zealand just before the Australian tour, the stakes were high for Ravichandran Ashwin, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma.
While Ravichandran Ashwin, ace off-spinner and dependable all-rounder, shockingly retired from international cricket midway through the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia and returned home the next day, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma endured a horrific run with the bat in the five-match Test series Down Under.
BCCI to review Team India’s dismal performance on the Australia tour
Now, the Indian chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, is all set to meet with captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and BCCI officials to review Team India’s dismal performance on the Australia tour. The review comes amid growing concerns about the form and future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
A Hindustan Times report claimed that the Indian selectors will also address the Indian fans’ fury around Kohli and Rohit’s struggles in Test cricket and what lies ahead for them. The BGT 2024-25 series loss not only ended India’s hopes of making it to the WTC Final 2025 but also raised serious questions about the team’s leadership and chemistry.
Adding to the controversy, Ravichandran Ashwin’s unexpected mid-series retirement, along with murmurs of unrest within the squad, has only fueled speculation about the team’s internal dynamics, and the upcoming meeting will address these dramas as well. The report claimed that Ravichandran Ashwin's shocking retirement will be discussed in the meeting.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s shocking retirement, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s form to be addressed in the review meeting
Rohit’s dramatic slump in form, which saw him benched for the Sydney Test, and Kohli’s continued lean patch have left fans and experts questioning their futures in the longest format of the game. It is also being said that a series of intense meetings are expected in the coming days to address these burning issues, including Ravichandran Ashwin's shocking move.
The Hindustan Times report reads: “The Australian tour, which immediately followed the 0-3 rout at home to New Zealand, was expected to decide the fate of many senior players. The 3-1 loss shut the door on India’s WTC final hopes, which is seen as a big setback.
"Off-spinner R Ashwin’s mid-tour retirement and return home, murmurs of team discontent on tour, Rohit’s free fall in form that resulted in his sitting out the final Test at Sydney, and the prolonged lean run of Virat Kohli have left Indian cricket faced with several searching questions. All these are likely to be addressed in a number of formal and informal meetings among selectors and the administrators in the coming days.”
BCCI to hold SCG this weekend
Meanwhile, Ajit Agarkar is currently in Vadodara to attend the knockout rounds of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25. Agarkar will meet with the other members of the selection committee to discuss and brief them on the team's performance.
Then, the chief selector will meet with head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma to review India’s performance on the Australia tour. Notably, the BCCI will hold a special general meeting (SGM) in Mumbai on Sunday, January 12, where Devajit Saikia will take over as the new BCCI secretary.
