Aakash Chopra raises concerns over Rohit Sharma's Test career

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has criticized Rohit Sharma’s Test career following his disappointing performance in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Chopra compared Rohit's career to that of Virat Kohli, claiming it has not been as successful or glorious.

Rohit Sharma has been under intense scrutiny after failing to perform in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The India captain, who was expected to have a strong series, struggled to find form after a lean patch in the home Test season. He missed the first match of the series due to the birth of his child but returned to the team for the second Test. However, with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal impressing in Perth, Rohit decided to bat in the middle order for two games.

Despite the change, Rohit’s form did not improve, and he continued to struggle with confidence, registering low scores. In the fourth Test, he returned to the top order, but things didn’t change, and he faced failure in both innings in Melbourne. Eventually, Rohit dropped himself for the Sydney Test, handing over the captaincy to Jasprit Bumrah. Overall, in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Rohit managed just 31 runs at an average of around 6, adding to concerns over his form. In the last eight Tests, he has scored only around 150 runs.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, despite his own struggles during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, managed to score a brilliant century in Perth. While he was troubled by deliveries outside the off-stump, Kohli's footwork and approach remained strong.

Aakash Chopra, in a video, criticized Rohit Sharma’s Test career, stating that he has been a late bloomer compared to Virat Kohli. Chopra pointed out that although Kohli has had a tough run in recent years, he still averages around 47, while Rohit has not yet reached such consistency in his career. 
“Rohit’s Test career is not as glorious as Virat’s because Virat has played 123 Tests, while Rohit has played only 67. Rohit has been a bit of a late bloomer, scoring 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57 in 116 innings. Kohli, despite a dip in recent years, still averages around 47," he said. 

Further drawing a comparison between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Chopra highlighted the batting numbers of both players from January 2020 to the end of 2024. Rohit has played 35 matches in this period, scoring 2,160 runs at an average of 36, with six centuries. In contrast, Kohli has played 39 matches during the same period, with a lower average of 30.72.

However, Chopra noted that Rohit’s six centuries have all come in winning causes, while Kohli’s three centuries have come in losing causes. Chopra concluded by stating that Rohit’s contributions have often been crucial to India’s victories, despite his recent struggles.

With concerns mounting over his form, Rohit Sharma’s future in Test cricket remains under close observation, as he looks to bounce back from this lean patch.