Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan remarked that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma appeared slightly out of touch due to limited cricket in recent months. The experienced pair failed to make an impact on their international return after a seven-month break, both falling cheaply in the opening ODI against Australia in Perth.
Before the Australia tour, Kohli and Rohit last featured in competitive cricket during the 2025 IPL season. Facing a stern challenge on their comeback, the duo struggled against Australia’s pace attack on a lively, overcast Perth surface. Rohit was dismissed for eight by Josh Hazlewood, while Kohli departed soon after for a duck against Mitchell Starc.
Their lack of recent match practice and visible rust sparked major discussion following India’s top-order collapse and subsequent seven-wicket defeat. Irfan Pathan said there’s no substitute for match practice, adding Kohli and Rohit hurt their form by playing without enough game time.
“We will never judge Rohit and Virat by their performances, and no one should as well, because they are great players. But you have to do the things that are needed, you have to complete the processes, you have to play matches. In this regard, they have fallen behind.”
“If they had played some matches before coming, and shown some form, the team management might have thought seven batters are enough, and we can include Kuldeep Yadav. But now, since the team is unsure of the form of three players, it is not happening,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“No One Bigger Than Process” – Irfan Pathan On Kohli, Rohit & Iyer Skipping Games
The former cricketer slammed Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer for skipping competitive matches during the break, suggesting they missed a chance to stay in rhythm and better prepare for the Australian challenge.
“It is not like they (Virat, Rohit, and Shreyas) did not have a lot of options to play cricket (during the break). I believe that no matter how big a player you are, when it comes to Indian cricket, you have to make sure that you return after following the proper process.”
“We have seen both Rohit and Virat work hard, but match fitness and normal fitness are two different things. For example, Rishabh Pant, coming after injury, will play for India ‘A’ against South Africa ‘A’,” Pathan added.
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