Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, other senior players skipped Duleep Trophy despite selectors' wishes: Report

Team India’s disastrous and historic 3-0 Test series defeat at home to New Zealand saw senior players fail consistently in their roles. India captain Rohit Sharma scored just 91 runs in six innings, while Virat Kohli added 93 in the same number of innings. Veteran Ravichandran Ashwin took a total of nine wickets in three matches, four behind Mitchell Santner who played just one match in the series. Senior pacer Jasprit Bumrah took just three wickets from two matches.

The lack of runs and wickets from superstar cricketers compromised Team India’s chances in the series as for the first time the hosts lost a three-match series 3-0 at home. It was also India’s first Test series loss at home since 2012.

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Seniors refuse to play in Duleep Trophy

The lack of form from senior players has raised questions about whether it would have been better for them to participate in domestic matches before the home season began. For instance, the Duleep Trophy, which ran from 5 to 22 September, offered a good opportunity for senior players to play a few red-ball games ahead of the mega Test season. This season includes five home Tests — against Bangladesh and New Zealand — as well as five away Tests.

A report in The Indian Express, however, has revealed that BCCI’s selection panel headed by former India bowler Ajit Agarkar wanted the senior players including Rohit and Kohli to take part in Duleep Trophy matches, but senior players did not agree to such an arrangement.

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“The selection committee planned for all top players to be available for the Duleep Trophy in order to provide them some match practice before the red-ball season. Rohit and Kohli, along with other key players, gave their consent initially. However, some of the top players later decided to withdraw their names and went into the two Tests against Bangladesh (in September) and the three against New Zealand without much recent red-ball cricket under their belt," a source told The Indian Express.

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“When Sharma, Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah didn’t participate in the Duleep Trophy, the selection committee decided to release Ravindra Jadeja, who had agreed to play in the domestic tournament."

Gavaskar feels seniors needed practice

It’s no surprise that most of the senior players who skipped the Duleep Trophy are currently struggling for form, having not played much red-ball cricket before the home season started.

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Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar is also of the opinion that senior cricketers should have taken part in the domestic matches.

“They should have had some practice, definitely. It’s a long gap. I know we beat Bangladesh, and therefore, it looked as if it was going to be a cakewalk against New Zealand. But New Zealand, obviously, had a better attack, with cricketers who have played in India and in the IPL, who have a sense of what Indian pitches do," he told The Indian Express.

After losing to New Zealand, India are in danger of losing out on the World Test Championship (WTC) final unless they win the series in Australia by a massive margin.