Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh has criticized veteran batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for their underwhelming performances during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. Harbhajan Singh stated that the selection should be based on performance rather than the player's status or reputation.
India lost the fifth Test in Sydney by six wickets, losing the series 1-3 under. This was India's first Test series loss in Australia since the 2014-15 series. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma both faltered when the team needed them most, leading to questions about their positions in the Indian Test squad.
Be it Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, there is no player bigger than the game – Harbhajan Singh
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan Singh said that no player, including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, should be considered too big for the game. Harbhajan added that if the selectors decide to include senior players for the England tour, they must ensure that these players play in county cricket.
“The selection should be based on performance, whether Virat or Rohit. No player is bigger than the game, even if they think they are superstars in their minds. If you want to take top players on tour, you have to make sure they play the game,” said Harbhajan. County cricket ahead of England series.”
Rohit Sharma, who played as an opening and middle-order batsman, managed just 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.2. He scored 164 runs in his last 15 Test innings at an average of 10.93, with one half-century.
Virat Kohli scored a total of 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75, despite scoring an unbeaten century in the first Test in Perth. He got out in a similar fashion while tucking deliveries outside the stump eight times. Kohli has scored 359 runs in his last 15 Test innings at an average of 27.61.
They are stuck in stubbornness – Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh has questioned the team management's decision to play two spinners on a pace-friendly pitch in Sydney. Singh added that the team should have thought of selecting another good seamer, who might have been more effective.
“How was the selection made? Was there any point in playing two Sydney spinners on that pitch where they didn't even bowl? So, to stretch the batting, I added the spinners because they could bat. But you didn't see if there was Things could be better, they were being stubborn. “This is not a T20 format that is played differently.”
The series would have ended 5-0 – Harbhajan Singh
The 44-year-old praised Jasprit Bumrah for his exceptional bowling, stating that India would have likely lost the series by 5-0 or 4-0 without him. Singh described Bumrah as a “national treasure” and credited him with saving India at several key moments during the series.
“If Jasprit Bumrah had not been in this tour, the series would have ended 5-0. Jassi saved India in Perth. After Adelaide, he saved India in the rest of the matches. If he had not been in the series, India would have lost by 5,” Harbhajan said. -0 or 4-0″.
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