"Coach may not be of your level but still you listen to him" - Former Indian captain's blunt advice to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of CT 2025

Former Indian captain Kapil Dev has advised Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to be open to suggestions from other players and coaches to overcome their form slumps ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy. The duo have endured a rough few months with the bat in red-ball cricket.

Kohli and Rohit averaged under 25 each in India's back-to-back Test series defeats to New Zealand at home and Australia down under. While Rohit showed signs of his best in the second ODI of the ongoing series against England, Kohli was dismissed for an 8-ball 5.

Talking about the pair's struggles on the Cricket Adda YouTube channel, Kapil said [via NDTV Sports]:

"When there are no runs, problems are on all sides. The best way out is to talk to cricketers, who are your 'type'. See you old videos and analyse how you used to play. You can talk to cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid. Being big stars does not mean that somebody who has played less cricket than you can't tell you how to play. The coach may not be of your level but still you listen to him. Sometimes, you can talk to outsiders."

He added:

"You will not get the same 20-25 year old Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, but if you see your old videos, you will get an idea. Cricket is a game of confidence. Age is a factor but that doesn't mean they have forgotten to play the game. You have to adjust."

The 2025 Champions Trophy begins a week after the conclusion of the England ODIs, on February 19. India hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series against England with the final ODI to be played in Ahmedabad on February 12.

"The team looks unsettled" - Kapil Dev

Rohit silenced several critics with his blistering century in the second ODI against England [Credit: Getty]

Kapil Dev believes skipper Rohit Sharma's return to form remains paramount for India to boast a settled look going into the Champions Trophy.

The Men in Blue will be part of Group A with Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh in the eight-team competition. Incidentally, India's last triumph in an ICC ODI event came in the 2013 Champions Trophy in England.

"He (Rohit) is a big player. I hope he returns to form quickly. I will say good luck to the coach. It takes time to settle in. The whole country is looking forward to the side's performance. In the recent times, the side played well for some time. The team looks unsettled. When the captain's form is poor, the team has problems," said Kapil.

India also enjoyed a successful campaign in the last Champions Trophy edition in 2017 before losing the final to Pakistan by 180 runs.