Gavaskar advocates for Sharma and Kohli’s participation in the Duleep Trophy

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has suggested that it would have been beneficial for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to take part in the Duleep Trophy. Gavaskar argues that players in their mid-thirties may experience a decline in "muscle memory" if they do not regularly participate in high-level cricket.

“The selectors have excluded Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the Duleep Trophy, which means they might enter the Bangladesh Test series with limited match practice,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for *Mid-Day*. “For players in their mid-thirties, regular competition is essential to maintaining the high standards they’ve set. A long break can weaken muscle memory, making it difficult to return to peak performance.”

India is set to play a two-match Test series against Bangladesh in September as part of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Rohit Sharma's last red-ball match was the final Test against England in Dharmshala earlier this year, while Virat Kohli’s most recent Test was the New Year Test at Cape Town, South Africa. Gavaskar highlighted, “A significant gap between matches can lead to a decline in performance standards, making it challenging to regain previous levels of play.”

Gavaskar also addressed the situation with Jasprit Bumrah, acknowledging the need for careful management of his back issues. However, he stressed the importance of providing batters with ample playing time. “While Jasprit Bumrah needs to be handled with care, batters would benefit from more time in the middle,” he added.

The Indian team is currently undergoing a transition, with management considering moving past veterans like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Despite some middle-order injuries earlier in the year during the series against England, the team has been focused on integrating younger players rather than relying solely on experienced veterans, even though the latter has been performing well in domestic cricket.