James Vince, the England batter, has assured that Indian no-nonsense batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will find their glorious form once again, even though they have had their lean patch in Test matches. Vince spoke on both men’s current rough patch and repeatedly emphasized their quality and resilience. Following the miserable Test series in Australia against the Border Gavaskar Trophy, India will embark on their tour of England for a five-match Test series between June 20 and August 4. The first Test match will be held at Headingley, Leeds, between June 20 and 24; that will be followed by Test matches at Edgbaston, Birmingham (July 2-6), Lord’s (July 10-14), Old Trafford, Manchester (July 23-27), and The Oval (July 31 – August 4).
“It’s hard to predict. English conditions can be favourable to bowlers, but they can also be kind to batters on particular days. The quality of Virat and Rohit is unquestionable. If they still have the desire and heart for Test cricket, history suggests that they will find a way to deliver,” James told IANS over the phone on Monday.
“We’re not used to seeing those class players go through long patches, but that in itself is a sign of humanity. I am sure they will bounce back pretty strong, should they have the drive to succeed,” he said.
Both the former have undergone sharp public scrutiny for their performances Down Under, a series that made life really miserable for the Indian team against Australia.
Rohit Sharma, India’s Test and ODI captain, had a horrendous BGT series, hacking away just 31 runs in five innings. His captaincy came under scrutiny to merge into his wretched batting performance, eventually losing his spot at the final Test in Sydney.
In a bid to regain him, Rohit represented Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. But his 3 and 28 did little to inspire confidence in him. This was his first Ranji Trophy game since 2015, revealing how little red-ball cricket he has played outside the international arena.
There may have been some criticism, but he is still somebody that India would have in their team. The three-match ODI series against England beginning on February 6 will offer him another chance to bounce back.
Virat Kohli, too, found himself in a similar situation during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Kohli scored 190 runs in five Tests but was dismissed for eight in a row while chasing deliveries outside the off-stump. The technical glitch has been recurring, but Kohli’s work ethic and determination continue to be his biggest strengths.
From January 30, this will mark Kohli’s return to red-ball cricket during Delhi’s next Ranji Trophy match against Railways at Arun Jaitley Stadium. This is Kohli’s first Ranji Trophy game since 2012, and it is hoped the occasion will be a platform for the former Indian captain to regain rhythm.
Test form is now under the scanner, but they would be contesting to regain their form in this format. With the ODI series against England round the corner, Rohit and Kohli will be raring to go out and show what they can do.
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