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Rohit Sharma’s recent form in Test cricket has become a subject of intense discussion in Indian cricket circles. The Indian captain has had a disappointing season with the bat, averaging just 24.76 in 2024, leading to criticism and even speculation about his potential retirement. His struggles have been particularly evident in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he managed a mere 31 runs in three matches, culminating in an alarmingly low average of just 6.20 for the series. The pressure on Rohit is mounting, with questions being raised about his ability to lead the side in the longest format of the game. Amid these concerns, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra took to his YouTube channel to provide a detailed analysis of Rohit’s Test career, drawing comparisons with his teammate, Virat Kohli.
Check out the comparison between Virat Kohli stats and Rohit Sharma
Aakash Chopra pointed out that, despite Kohli's recent struggles, his career statistics in Tests far surpass those of Rohit Sharma. Kohli has been a consistent performer in the format over the years, maintaining a high average and a string of centuries. In contrast, Rohit’s Test record, while impressive in limited-overs cricket, has not matched the same level of consistency, particularly in overseas conditions. Chopra’s comments reflect the growing scrutiny around Rohit’s Test career, and it remains to be seen how he responds to these challenges moving forward.
“His Test career is not as glorious as Virat's because Virat has played 123 Tests, and he has played only 67. He has been a bit of a late bloomer. He has scored 4301 runs at an average of 40.57 in 116 innings in those 67 games. Kohli's average, despite going down, is around 47," former Indian opener Aakash Chopra said.
“Let's start from 1st January 2020 till the end of 2024, which means the last five years. He has played 35 matches, Kohli played 39 matches and 69 innings, and he has played 63 innings. He has scored 2160 runs at an average of 36, which includes six centuries," he further added.
Aakash Chopra provided a detailed breakdown of Rohit Sharma's Test career, focusing particularly on his performances over the past five years to back his analysis. He noted that Rohit had a solid year in 2021, playing 11 matches and 21 innings, amassing 906 runs at an average of 47.68, including two centuries. This performance, according to Chopra, was far from disappointing and would be considered a good year by most standards.
However, Chopra pointed out the challenges Rohit has faced in recent years, particularly his injury concerns. In 2022, the Agra-born batsman played only two Test matches, which is a small sample size to make definitive judgments about his form. In those two matches, he scored 90 runs at an average of 30, which Chopra suggested wasn’t enough to label the year as a failure, given the limited opportunities. Chopra also highlighted the recurring issue of Rohit's injury struggles, noting that he has never been able to play an entire series in Australia. Despite these setbacks, Chopra felt that the overall picture of Rohit’s career in recent years remained positive, with his 2021 performance still standing out as a strong one.
“He played eight matches in 2023 and scored 545 runs at an average of 41.92 in 13 innings in which he scored two centuries again. So 2023 was not a bad year. An average of nearly 42, you will have to say that it was okay, 2024 hasn't been a good year. The first half was okay, but the second half was extremely ordinary, and it has become so ordinary that people have written obituaries. He scored 400 runs in the five-match series against England and that is why he has an average of 24 in 2024. He scored 619 in 14 matches. He also struck two centuries here," Chopra concluded.