Australian broadcaster Fox Cricket, one of the official channels airing the recent ODI series between Pakistan and Australia, stirred controversy during the live coverage of the third match by revealing their promotional poster for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Surprisingly, the poster did not feature India’s current captain, Rohit Sharma. Instead, former India skipper Virat Kohli appeared alongside Australian captain Pat Cummins, leading to an uproar on social media.
Fox Cricket’s choice to spotlight Kohli, rather than Rohit, could be a strategic move to capture the attention of both Indian and Australian fans. Kohli has been a powerhouse in Australia, accumulating 1,352 runs in 13 Tests at an average of 54.08, including six centuries and four half-centuries. His finest hour on Australian soil came during the 2014/15 series, where he scored a remarkable 692 runs at an average of 86.50 and took over the Test captaincy after MS Dhoni’s sudden retirement mid-series.
Social media was abuzz with fans questioning the absence of Rohit Sharma from the poster. Many argued that as the current captain, Rohit’s image should have been featured, sparking debates on whether Fox Cricket’s decision was based on Kohli’s popularity in Australia or his memorable past performances. The upcoming Australia tour could be pivotal for both Kohli and Rohit, who have struggled to find their form in recent Test series.
Kohli’s recent home series performance against New Zealand raised concerns, as he scored just 93 runs at an average of 15.50, his lowest home series average in seven years. Meanwhile, Rohit’s back-to-back struggles saw him manage only 42 runs in two Tests against Bangladesh, followed by 37 runs in the series against New Zealand—marking some of his lowest scores on home turf.
Given their recent performances, many experts view the impending series in Australia as a career-defining opportunity for both players. Kohli and Rohit’s ability to adapt to the challenging Australian conditions will likely be scrutinized, and their performance may determine the future trajectory of their Test careers.
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