Kapil Dev advises under-fire Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to 'go back to the basics' ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are under fire for their poor returns in the three-match Test series against New Zealand, in which the two batting stalwarts failed to contribute when it mattered the most as India suffered a humiliating 0-3 Test whitewash at home for the first time ever.

When taking the Test series against Bangladesh into account, the two modern-day greats have just one half-century to show in five matches, leading to experts and fans questioning their place in the Test team and whether they were past their prime, with some even questioning their future in the red-ball format.

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The legendary Kapil Dev for one, minced no words when it came to offering the two batting superstars advice ahead of the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, urging Rohit and Kohli to “go back to the basics” and get more practice.

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“Go back to the basics. Practice and practice and practice. If you say I will improve by sitting in the room, then it is not going to happen. If you are going through a rough time, just practice more. The more you practice, the better it will be for you,” the 1983 World Cup-winning captain told CricketNext.

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Both Rohit and Kohli had retired from Twenty20 Internationals after starring in India’s triumphant T20 World Cup campaign in the US and the Caribbean earlier this year, hoping to focus on the longer formats for the remainder of their careers.

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However, Kohli has averaged just 21.33 in the five home Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand starting in September. Rohit’s numbers are worse for the same period, with the India Test and ODI skipper averaging just 13.30.

Though the BCCI has not made an official statement in this regard, it might be forced to drop a senior or two from the Test side if India fail to reach the ICC World Test Championship final that will take place at Lord’s in June.

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India had reached the final of the first two cycles, finishing runners-up on both occasions, and slipped to the second spot on the table after their whitewash against the Black Caps. Rohit and Co, however, will have to defeat Australia 4-0 or better in order to directly qualify for a third consecutive final.