Ravichandran Ashwin delivered a sharp critique after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma struggled badly on their international return in the first ODI against Australia in Perth on October 19. Returning to action for the first time since the 2025 IPL, Rohit scored only 8 before being beaten by a steep delivery from Josh Hazlewood, while Kohli lasted eight balls for a duck against Mitchell Starc.
Both had gone months without competitive cricket due to their retirement from T20Is and Tests, and despite speculation about their participation in the India ‘A’ series as practice, their names were not included. Ashwin believes this lack of match practice has shown up visibly and requires urgent attention if the duo aim to play till the 2027 World Cup.
“For Their Good, I Think They Can Focus A Bit More On Preparation…” – Ashwin Urges Early Arrival & Match Time
The former spinner stressed the need for structured preparation well before big tours. Ravichandran Ashwin remarked, “For their good, I think they can focus a bit more on preparation, especially in terms of playing games before going on tours, but that is not entirely in the hands of players, it needs to be planned by the team management. This is too early to talk about Virat and Rohit, because there are a few more games. My only worry for them is can they get more game time?”
He further discussed the idea of senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat reaching tour venues early to regain rhythm. Ashwin pointed out that earlier generations often travelled abroad 10–15 days in advance in separate groups to acclimatize before a series began, an approach that could be revived. The logistical delay caused by the team’s two-batch travel from Delhi and a late arrival in Perth also disrupted India’s initial training and did not help the situation.
“You Cannot Ignore That” – Ashwin Warns Fitness Alone Is Not Enough For Aging Batters
Ahead of the ODI, Virat Kohli told Adam Gilchrist and Ravi Shastri that he was at peak fitness despite being away from matches. Ashwin praised their conditioning standards but added a key reminder: reflexes and hand-eye coordination cannot be trained without real match exposure.
He said, “I saw Virat’s interview where he spoke about maintaining fitness, and yes, that is a very important facet. But hand-eye coordination, which is so important for batting, you cannot ignore that. Knowing Virat, he must have worked on that, but you have to be at the top of your game, especially when you are getting older, especially when you are playing only one format. It was lovely to see Rohit looking really, really fit.”
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