Gambhir Slams Ponting's Criticism of Kohli and Rohit

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has strongly defended star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma against criticism from former Australian captain Ricky Ponting. Ponting had expressed concerns about the form of both players, who have struggled with the bat in recent times.

Gambhir dismissed Ponting's comments, stating that they have no relevance to Indian cricket. He emphasized the importance of hunger and determination within the team, and praised Kohli and Sharma as "incredibly tough men."

Kohli has endured a difficult 2024, with only two international fifties to his name. His struggles against spinners have been particularly evident in the 10 Test innings he played against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

Despite India's 2-0 Test series victory over Bangladesh, Kohli managed only 99 runs at an average of 33.00. In the subsequent three-Test series against New Zealand, he scored just 93 runs at an average of 15.50, with only one score of 70.

Rohit's poor form has also impacted his captaincy. In the four innings of the two Test matches against Bangladesh, he scored just 43 runs at an average of 10.50. Against New Zealand, he managed only 91 runs at an average of 15.16, with his highest score being 52.

India's upcoming five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia will be crucial for both Kohli and Rohit. Kohli will be eager to rediscover his form in red-ball cricket, while Rohit will be looking to improve his captaincy and lead India to victory.

India need to win four Tests in Australia to directly qualify for the World Test Championships final, which will be held at Lord's in June 2025.

Tags: #Cricket, #TeamIndia, #ViratKohli, #RohitSharma, #RickyPonting