India Seeks Revival Through Kohli and Rohit’s Form

In the Test series between New Zealand and India, one fact stands out as unusual and pivotal: the top scorer is a visiting player, a rare occurrence in Indian cricket, especially in recent times. Reflecting on past standout performances by international batters in India over the last two decades—such as Alastair Cook's resilience in 2012-13, Steven Smith's precision in 2016-17, and Hashim Amla's consistency in 2009-10—only one instance led to a series victory. These accomplishments highlight the difficulty of overcoming India's formidable batting at home.

Uncommon Top Scorers in India

Indian batters have historically managed to counter these performances. Cheteshwar Pujara came close to Smith's runs, and Rahul Dravid was only slightly behind Flower despite fewer innings. VVS Laxman, with a single memorable innings in 2000-01, turned the series narrative toward India. Their mastery at home relied on piling up huge scores that wore down the opposition, often courtesy of experienced top-order players.

In this series, however, India’s best comparison to New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra at the top is a newcomer who hadn’t played international cricket until recently. Sarfaraz Khan’s impactful 150, his primary contribution out of 170 runs, came from batting higher than his usual first-class position and has boosted India’s top four average to 31.75. Without this innings, the average for India’s top four falls to 23.87 over 15 innings, with only 358 runs and three ducks.

In contrast, New Zealand’s top-order batters are averaging 49, or 37 if Ravindra’s century is excluded. Devon Conway’s two fifties, Tom Latham’s resilient defence in Pune, and Will Young’s solid performance after stepping in for Kane Williamson have provided New Zealand with stability. Notably, India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal is the only Indian top-four batter to have faced more deliveries than Young’s 222, while among his own team, only Latham has faced fewer (210).

India’s Home Dominance in Question

A productive top-order brings stability in Test cricket, and that is what India seeks in Mumbai. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli left Pune early—having no reason to stay amid reminders of what was lost: 18 consecutive series wins at home, a historic streak they helped build. Kohli has shown mastery under tough conditions, scoring memorable runs in places like Visakhapatnam in 2016 and crafting a controlled 44 against Australia in Delhi last year. His ability to handle turn, bounce, and variable pace transformed batting into an art form. In contrast, this series has seen him falter against straightforward deliveries, continuing a troubling trend in his and his teammates’ spin play.

Pressure on Rohit and Kohli to Lead

Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, has faced criticism for his leadership. His defense of India’s tactical choices at a post-match press conference in Pune didn’t resonate well, with comparisons to Manchester United’s manager Erik Ten Hag, who often praised his team after losses. While Rohit’s position remains secure, his leadership record shows four home losses in 15 Tests—double the losses his predecessor saw over 31 matches.

Numbers alone do not tell the full story. Rohit’s captaincy turned the series around against England earlier this year, despite early setbacks and a lineup affected by injuries. The emergence of young talents like Jaiswal, coupled with Rohit’s own centuries, helped flip the scoreline from 0-1 to 4-1. Now, India needs that same Rohit and Kohli—two batters who can inspire confidence and restore dominance.

India’s hopes rest on its leaders rediscovering the form and aura that made them icons at home. The talent is there; the challenge lies in uniting it to bring India back to its winning ways.