Future looks uncertain for struggling legends Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli

Sydney: India’s loss to Australia in the Boxing Day Test has cast a shadow of introspection over Indian cricket. For the first time in eight years, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is slipping from India’s grasp. To keep the trophy, India must win the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and level the series. However, given Australia’s buoyant confidence following their triumph at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the struggles of India’s key players, salvaging a draw seems a monumental task.

More than the series outcome, this match might determine the futures of two of India’s cricketing stalwarts -- Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both players, legends in their own right, find themselves at a critical juncture in their careers for one can survive on past records only for so long. Advancing years and personal lack of form is a deadly cocktail that has swallowed many a great career. Kohli and Rohit, in the twilight of their illustrious cricketing journeys, face that situation. 

At 38 and 36 respectively, Rohit and Kohli have endured such a prolonged slump in form that even their enviable statistics can't obscure their liability in the team. While that may sound a bit harsh, it's a bitter reality. When a young Shubman Gill, who is undoubtedly India's batting future, is made to sit outside for non-performing superstars, it begs tough questions. 

"I stand where I am standing today," said Rohit on Monday in post-match comments. "There is nothing to think about what has happened in the past. Obviously, a few results have not gone our way. As a captain, yes, that is disappointing. You know, a lot of the things that I am trying to do are not falling in place that I would want to.

"But mentally, look, you know, it is disturbing without a doubt. If you have come here to try and do successfully what you're supposed to and if those things don't fall in place, that is a big disappointment. But as of now, that is where it is," Rohit explained.

If one of Rohit and Kohli had stood firm in the middle on Monday afternoon, the series would still be on the line and a spot in the World Test Championship would still be a genuine possibility. Rohit seems to find new ways to get out every time while Kohli’s struggles have been equally perplexing. It's tough to say which is worse!

Kohli's inability to resist chasing deliveries outside the off-stump has become a recurring problem, baffling fans and critics alike. This weakness, once an annoying lapse, now appears chronic for which there seems to be no solution.

"There are things that we as a team need to look at," Rohit noted on the road ahead, both from personal and team's point of view. "I personally need to look at (my performance) as well. So, we will try and see what happens. You know, there is still a game to go. If we can play that game well, you know, with 2-2, it is a draw. It will be really nice," he said.

Rohit has 31 runs from five innings in this series, one more than the number of wickets Jasprit Bumrah has taken. Kohli, barring an unbeaten second-innings century in Perth, has aggregated 67 runs from six other innings. Such statistics would normally lead to a player being benched, yet the team’s perceived reliance on these two icons has delayed tough decisions. But can the team's interests be compromised beyond a point?

With India’s next red-ball assignment scheduled for June in England and no home Test series for at least 10 months, a failure in the final Test may prompt selectors to make some uncomfortable calls. Sydney is not just a Test match -- it’s a potential turning point. Whether Kohli and Rohit rise to the occasion or bow out gracefully, their performances in this match could shape the trajectory of Indian cricket.