"You can prove them wrong by scoring runs" - Indian spin legend's advice to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after dismal BGT 2024-25

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has advised the legendary duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to score plenty of runs to silence the critics after their dismal showing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. The pair were already in poor form coming into the Australia series, scoring only two combined half-centuries in 12 innings against New Zealand in India's 0-3 home series whitewash.

Both batters averaged under 16 in the New Zealand series, resulting in questions about their spot in the Test side. Kohli silenced some of the doubts with a century in the opening Test in Perth, while Rohit missed the contest due to the birth of his second child.

However, things went downhill for both as India suffered a 1-3 series defeat to surrender the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Speaking to Sports Tak about the duo's future in Tests, Harbhajan said [via India Today]:

"Rohit, outstanding player of this generation, a great. Virat Kohli, great player of this generation. But a player does not decide their future, their form and selectors decide the future. People start talking wrong about you when you don't score runs, but you can prove them wrong by scoring runs, that is the only way I look at it. If they want to play on, they will have to make a comeback and score big runs."

Kohli eventually finished the five-Test series with under 200 runs at an average of 23.75 in nine innings. Meanwhile, Rohit was even worse with an unfathomable 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.20 in three Tests.

The skipper opted out of the final Test in Sydney owing to his poor batting form, with Jasprit Bumrah taking over as captain.

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"When it comes to the point of selection, only the selectors can decide" - Harbhajan Singh

Rohit's Test future is hanging in the balance following his recent string of low scores [Credit: Getty]

Harbhajan Singh believes the duo of Kohli and Rohit or any player can choose to play as long as they wish but their selection should be solely decided by the selectors.

Following the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, much has been speculated about the two stalwarts' place in the Indian Test side.

"It is entirely up to the players to think that they are fit enough to play. They are entitled to think like that. I am not only talking about Rohit and Virat particularly, its your thought process which makes you want to play and play good. But, when it comes to the point of selection, only the selectors can decide," said Harbhajan.

Rohit's last 15 Test innings has seen him total only 164 runs at an average of under 11 with a lone half-century.

On the other hand, Kohli has been sub-par in the longest format since the turn of the decade, averaging under 31 in 39 outings in that period.