“Happy Retirement” began trending on social media after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma once again failed to deliver in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. On the final day of the fourth Test against Australia, India faced a daunting chase of 340 runs. Both openers, Virat and Rohit, were dismissed early—Rohit for 9 and Kohli for 5—leaving India’s top-order in disarray.
Early Wickets of Virat and Rohit Set the Tone
Australia resumed their innings on 228/9, adding just six runs before Jasprit Bumrah claimed Nathan Lyon’s wicket. With Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the crease, India started their pursuit.Rohit, attempting a more cautious approach, was dismissed for 9 after facing 40 balls, edging a full-length delivery from Pat Cummins to Mitchell Marsh at slip. This dismissal sparked another collapse, with KL Rahul also departing for a duck in the same over.
Also Read:Jasprit Bumrah Becomes Fastest Indian to 200 Test Wickets in Terms of Balls Bowled
Kohli’s Continued Struggles
Virat Kohli joined Jaiswal, but his struggles persisted. After facing 29 balls, Kohli went for a delivery outside off-stump—an issue that has plagued him for some time—and was dismissed just before lunch, further fueling fans’ frustration.
Consistency Issues for Virat and Rohit
The early wickets of Virat and Rohit highlighted a recurring issue for India: the lack of consistency from the top three batsmen. Their inability to provide stability has put immense pressure on the middle-order, resulting in multiple collapses throughout the series.
Fans Call for Retirement
The continued failures of Virat and Rohit did not sit well with the fans, who took to social media to express their frustration, some even calling for the duo to retire from Test cricket. “Kohli and Sharma have won us many matches,” one user commented. Respectfully, though, it’s time. If Bumrah had stayed in the lead, we would have won the BGT. “Literally, he is mentally done,” said another.Same thing for 4 years, ain’t a joke. Happy Retirement.”
Statistical Struggles of Virat and Rohit
In terms of performance, Virat Kohli has accumulated just 417 runs in 19 innings this year, with an average of 24.52. Similarly, Rohit Sharma has scored 619 runs in 26 innings, averaging 24.76—both far below the expected standards for senior players in Test cricket.
With the ongoing struggles of Virat and Rohit, fans are calling for a change in leadership and a fresh approach, with some even vouching for Bumrah to take over as captain. Despite his absence for the majority of the series, Bumrah led India to their only victory in this series so far.