Dinesh Karthik unhappy with Rohit Sharma's intensity, openly admits missing Virat Kohli in the Test series vs England

Former Indian wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik who is also a teammate of Virat Kohli in the Royal Challengers Bangalore dressing room, claimed that the Indian team under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, is missing the energy and joyous mood that the batting stalwart brings in with him during long hours of fielding, especially in a Test match.

Dinesh Karthik brought forward this context while discussing India’s lethargic attitude on the field on day 2 of the 4th Test here at the JSCA stadium in Ranchi. Karthik was speaking with Sanjay Manjrekar in the commentary box about the same topic and how things would have been quite different if Virat Kohli had been present in the playing XI.

Dinesh Karthik points out Virat Kohli’s uncanny knack

As we all know, Kohli has the habit of overflowing with emotions when celebrating wickets. He is also known for keeping his teammates full of energy with his sledding and uncanny comments here and there. That flair, that energy has certainly been missed by the Indian contingent feels both Manjrekar and Dinesh Karthik.

The latter pointed out the fact that Virat Kohli is a fan favorite and that every single person in the crowd gets behind him when he is in the stadium. “Has the uncanny knack of getting the crowd behind him.” – Karthik said via Jio Cinema. 

But now that Kohli is not a part of this squad, Rohit Sharma is coming under direct scrutiny that he is unable to gather around the team and bring an element of energy within a tired group of players. The Indian captain has been criticized heavily for not being proactive enough in the field specifically with the over-rotation tactics.

Nonetheless, even after so many absences from the team, Rohit has indeed found a way out to make this team win back-to-back Tests against a full-strength England squad.

Virat Kohli likely to return through IPL 2024

The Indian batting stalwart after opting out of the first two Tests in Hyderabad and Vishakhapatnam due to personal reasons, chose to remain out of the entire series to be with his wife Anushka Sharma as the duo was expecting their second child together. It was not disclosed right away and the BCCI had even asked media outlets from refraining to make any comments regarding the matter.

“Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention.” 

“The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli’s privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons. The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series.” – the BCCI wrote in the Press Release. 

Now Virat Kohli is most likely to make his return to the cricketing circuit through the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League. He will once again don the red and black jersey of the RCB who will be in action in the opening fixture against reigning champions Chennai Super Kings.