Sunil Gavaskar says Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Australia Tour has a clear agenda behind it. The legendary opener believes both stars want revenge for the 2023 World Cup final. Australia beat India in that 2023 final, which still hurts both senior players deeply.
Gavaskar pointed out they’re playing because it’s Australia and not some weaker opponent. If India faced West Indies or Zimbabwe instead, their availability might’ve been different. The tour includes three ODIs starting on October 19, followed by five T20Is later.
Agenda Behind Their Comeback
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Australia Tour is all about settling an old score, basically. Both legends retired from T20Is and Tests to focus purely on ODIs now. They want another shot at beating Australia on their home turf badly.
“I’m pretty certain that if this were a trip to Zimbabwe or the West Indies, both of them would not have been available. But because this is in Australia, and because India lost to Australia in the World Cup final, maybe that is the reason why both of them have decided, yes, I want to be available for this,” Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar stressed that facing the team that denied them World Cup glory matters hugely. This explains why both players committed to this tour despite limited ODI opportunities. The 2023 final defeat clearly still bothers them even after two years have passed.
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Selection Challenges Ahead
Gavaskar discussed how few ODI matches get played in a regular cricket season. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Australia Tour becomes crucial for maintaining their World Cup spots. Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar also shares similar concerns about their match practice needs.
“It depends to a great extent on the number of one-day matches that India plays over the next couple of years. Look, it’s not easy to be playing just seven or eight ODIs in a season while preparing for something as big as a World Cup,” he said.
“They will have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy in India whenever it’s scheduled, if it doesn’t clash with any international ODI tournaments. That’s one way to stay in trim and maintain match practice,” he added.
The legend suggested both should play the Vijay Hazare Trophy whenever possible between international tours. Staying match-fit and in form requires regular cricket at any level available, always. Limited opportunities make every ODI series extremely important for their future selection chances.
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Maintaining Competitive Edge
Gavaskar backed Agarkar’s stance on keeping both veterans competitive through regular game time. Long breaks between matches can hurt form and rhythm for any player badly. Both stars need consistent cricket leading up to major tournaments like the Champions Trophy.
