‘Irfan furious over Kohli’s absence, Gavaskar says no return for domestic dropouts’

India suffered a disappointing 1-3 loss to Australia in the fifth and final Test, conceding the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Although India made a strong start in Perth, a series of poor batting performances and over-reliance on Jasprit Bumrah with the ball led to losses in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. Virat Kohli’s form was a significant concern…


India suffered a disappointing 1-3 loss to Australia in the fifth and final Test, conceding the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Although India made a strong start in Perth, a series of poor batting performances and over-reliance on Jasprit Bumrah with the ball led to losses in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney.

Virat Kohli’s form was a significant concern throughout the series. He managed only 190 runs across eight innings, with an unbeaten century in the first Test. A recurring issue was his dismissal pattern—falling to deliveries outside off-stump on all eight occasions.

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan criticized Kohli’s performance and his lack of participation in domestic cricket, suggesting that it hindered his ability to rectify his technical issues. Speaking to Star Sports, Pathan emphasized the need to shift from a “superstar culture” to a “team culture” and pointed out that Kohli hasn’t played domestic cricket in over a decade. Pathan compared this to Sachin Tendulkar, who played domestic cricket even after his retirement.

Pathan also expressed disappointment with Kohli’s unwillingness to consult Sunil Gavaskar, who had pointed out the pattern in Kohli’s dismissals during the series. “We’re not degrading Virat Kohli, but you’re repeating the same mistake. It takes hard work to fix it, and I didn’t see that effort,” Pathan said.

Meanwhile, Gavaskar echoed the sentiment that senior Indian players should participate in domestic cricket. Reacting to Gautam Gambhir’s call for more involvement in domestic cricket, Gavaskar stated, “If uncomfortable decisions need to be made for the sake of Indian cricket, then they must be made.” He also stressed that senior players should make themselves available for the Ranji Trophy starting January 23, without any excuses. If they don’t, Gambhir should hold them accountable for their lack of commitment and close the door to a Test return.