Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has expressed concern over the lack of impactful contributions from senior players Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Speaking exclusively to India Today, Gavaskar pointed out that the duo's inability to deliver has been a major factor in India's struggles against a dominant Australian side led by Pat Cummins.

India's hopes of reaching the World Test Championship Final suffered a severe blow . Gavaskar highlighted that India's premier batters have failed to rise to the occasion, especially during critical moments. On Day 5 of the MCG Test, when India needed to bat out 90 overs to secure a draw, Rohit and Kohli fell cheaply, contributing just 9 and 3 runs, respectively. Their dismissals set the tone for India's collapse to 155 in 79.1 overs.

"It actually all depends on the selectors. I'm not a good reader of the crystal ball, because in Indian cricket, nobody can read a crystal ball. That is a fact. But the contributions which were expected have not come. I don't think it's a lower order problem. It's the top order that has to contribute. So, I mean, the seniors have not really made the contribution that they should have and all that they had to do was to bat out today and live to fight another day in Sydney," Gavaskar said.

has been a recurring concern, with only 31 runs from six innings in the ongoing series. Across his last six Tests, he has managed just 123 runs, raising questions about his place in the side.

Virat Kohli, on the other hand, has also faced criticism despite showing glimpses of promise earlier. While 2023 saw a partial resurgence in his Test career, 2024 has been far less productive. Kohli has scored only 417 runs at an average below 25 this year. After a century in Perth at the start of the Australian campaign, he managed a mere 62 runs in the next three matches, further fueling speculation about his Test future.

As India prepares for the decisive Sydney Test, Gavaskar's remarks underscore the mounting pressure on Kohli and Rohit to justify their stature and experience. Their form, or lack thereof, will likely be pivotal in determining whether India can salvage the series and keep their WTC hopes alive.