Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma told to relinquish their VVIP culture and play Domestic Cricket

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has suggested Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and the other Indian batters play domestic cricket in order to find form ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Mohammad Kaif added that players like Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma might not get the VIP treatment in the Ranji Trophy but that will be helpful for them. Apart from Rishabh Pant, no other batter looked at his best. It is a huge cause of concern for India ahead of the five-match Test series against Australia.

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Mohammad Kaif suggests Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma to play domestic cricket ahead of BGT 2024-25

While speaking in a video uploaded on his social media handle, Mohammad Kaif asked the out-of-form Indian batters including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to play domestic cricket and spend hours batting at the crease. According to Kaif, that will help the team and will boost the player's morale.

The former India batter further claimed that Ranji Trophy games might not give the players the VIP treatment that they are used to. But it will help them ahead of the Test series against Australia.

“Absolutely. They need the form, and they need to bat hours there. If they end up scoring a hundred, then it will benefit them immensely and serve as a morale booster. So whoever thinks that they are struggling to score runs and did not get enough game time, they should 100 percent play in domestic cricket," Mohammad Kaif suggested to the Indian batters.

"Forget that you travel in big cars and flights and that you may not get VIP treatment there. If you want to find form, you need to put in that effort," he added.

Following Pant’s example can help Virat and Rohit in BGT #AUSVIND #BGT pic.twitter.com/8ucnGno349

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) November 5, 2024

India's seniormost batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had a horrid home season recently. While Rohit Sharma scored 91 runs in three Tests at an average of 15.16, Virat Kohli scored 93 runs at an average of 15.50. Sanjay Manjrekar had also asked Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma to play Duleep Trophy.

Mohammad Kaif on the importance of practice matches

Highlighting the importance of practice matches, Mohammad Kaif cited the example of Rishabh Pant, who played a practice game before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21. Later on, Pant had a fantastic series and also helped India win the historic Gabba Test with a match-winning knock.

"Let me remind you of Rishabh Pant here. He ended up scoring the winning run in Gabba, but he was neither part of the ODI nor the T20I squad in that tour. He only went for the Test series, where Wriddhiman Saha played ahead of him. But India incurred that '36 all out' and we lost the match," Mohammad Kaif recalled.

"Pant was included. But remember, Pant had played a practice match in that tour, in a Pink Ball match supposedly, and scored a century, after which he was included in the XI so he emerged as a whole different player then," he added.

Rishabh Pant in great form

Rishabh Pant is the only Indian batter who looks in great form right now. The wicketkeeper-batter was the highest run-getter during the Test series against New Zealand with 261 runs in three Tests at an average of 43.50.

Pant made his Test comeback in the Test series against Bangladesh. It was his first Test match since his horrific car accident in December 2022. The left-handed batter scored a century on his Test return and marked his arrival in style.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill also made important contributions but were inconsistent. All three youngsters will face a stern test against Australia's experienced bowling line-up in the upcoming series.