Rohit Sharma will retire from Tests if he doesn't do well in Australia: Srikkanth

Former India opener Kris Srikkanth said Rohit Sharma will leave Test cricket if he doesn't perform well with the bat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The former opener, however, defended Virat Kohli, saying it's too early to question his place in the side.

In Short

• Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma failed to fire in the 3-Test series vs New Zealand
• Rohit Sharma managed just 91 runs in three Tests at home
• Rohit conceded he was not at his best both as batter and captain in the series

Former India captain Kris Srikkanth said he believes Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will find their mojo with the bat in India's tour of Australia. The swashbuckling former opener said Rohit will quit Test cricket if he doesn't perform well with the bat Down Under. However, it's too early to talk about moving on from Kohli in the traditional format, according to Srikkanth.

Questions have been asked about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's places in the Test side after India were whitewashed 0-3 by New Zealand on Sunday. Both the senior professionals failed consistently in the three Tests, struggling against pace and spin. Virat Kohli managed just 93 runs while Rohit contributed just 91 runs.

Captain Rohit fronted up to face the press and conceded he was nowhere close to his best with the bat and as captain in the Test series. It was the first time India lost a Test series with more than two matches without winning even one.

"100 percent, you have to start thinking ahead (if India doesn't do well in Australia). If Rohit Sharma doesn't do well, I think he himself will retire from Test cricket, for all you know. He will play ODIs only. He has already left T20I cricket. We have to keep in mind that he is also ageing. He is no longer getting younger," Srikkanth said in his YouTube show.

Srikkanth said Rohit acknowledging his mistakes is the first sign of his road to redemption.

"At least, Rohit Sharma had the guts. Hats off to Rohit Sharma for accepting the fact that he played badly throughout the series and captained badly. That's a great thing. That's the first move of a player to get back to the rhythm. Accepting your fault is very important. That's a very important quality of a human being. He accepted it openly and that means he is on the road to recovery, that's my opinion," he said.

India struggled against pace in the first Test in Bengaluru and were undone by spin in the second and third Tests in Pune and Mumbai. Only twice in six innings, India went past the 200-run mark as New Zealand kept the pressure on India right from the opening day of the series opener in Bengaluru.

'TOO EARLY TO TALK ABOUT KOHLI'

Srikkanth, however, backed Virat Kohli to find his best form in Australia, highlighting his past success Down Under. Kohli averages 54 in Australia, having scored 1,352 runs in 13 matches with six hundreds and four fifties.

"In my opinion, Virat Kohli will start doing in Australia (comeback). His area is Australia. I think that's his strength. I think it's too early to talk like this about Virat Kohli (moving on from him). I won't accept it. Virat Kohli has got a lot of time. One or two bad years of Test cricket," he added.

BIG FOUR ERA OVER?

Meanwhile, the former India chief selector said the Big Four of the Indian Test team - Rohit, Kohli, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja -- may have already played their last home Test together.

Ashwin and Jadeja failed to live up to expectations struggling until the final Test in Mumbai. Washington Sundar, who not part of the squad for the first Test, outbowled the senior pros with his performances in the series.

"But, I saw a headline in one of the newspapers. Is this the last time these four big guys are playing together - Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. it was a bold headline. I think they have played their last Test together at home. I think that's my opinion. I think may be, this is the last time," Srikkanth said.

India have not panicked and made changes to the jumbo squad they picked for the five-Test series, starting November 22 in Australia. However, reports have suggested that the BCCI will review the futures of senior players after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.