Cricket News: Is it the end of the road for Virat Kohli, Hanuma Vihari, and Shubman Gill? 

But in the past few series, we saw that the team is struggling to have a good start and form the basis of a solid inning on which the rest of the team can capitalise. The days when the top 3 batters scored the max runs and used to build the innings seem far off. Significant concerns are rising due to top players being consistently out of touch.

Frustration with Kohli's form continues

Virat Kohli, who would once be a player never to shy away from smashing bowlers across the ground to announce the King's arrival, has turned out to be a concern for the Indian team. His uncertainty to perform in the middle now points to a completely different tale. 

Before the build-up of the Edgbaston Test, coach Rahul Dravid asserted that Virat Kohli had been hitting hard in the nets and ticking all the right boxes. However, the 33-year-old batter looked to dangle his bat only to be dismissed poorly. He has continuously looked to struggle outside the off-stump and become an easy wicket for any quality spinner who reads it well. 

Since his last century in November 2019, he has scored 852 runs in 18 tests to average at 27.48, compared to his average being 50-plus across all the formats. When compared his graph to Fab4's Joe Root, he, in a similar period, has smashed 3248 runs in 34 tests to average at 58 with 11 tons. 

While unarguably, he has been one of the greatest in this sport and deserves to prove his mettle all over again in the long run compared to others. But now, with his performance affecting the team's ability, questions are being raised on how long can India carry on with his non-performing stint.

Shubman Gill and Hanuma Vihari failing to make their place in the test team?

Shubman Gill and Hanuma Vihari were given a golden opportunity to make a statement performing in England and secure a spot in the Test team for India. The duo was blessed with the chance as the team missed the services of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. However, the two talented batters failed to make the most of their opportunity.

Shubman Gill, who was once considered an easy replacement for struggling KL Rahul with his maiden call in 2019, failed to make his mark in test cricket. Apart from his impressive performance in Australia, the batter battled with an average of 17.50 in 2 matches he played on English soil. On the other hand, Hanuma Vihari, who was considered a case of a player who was severely deprived of opportunities to prove his capabilities, also strained his possibilities to be a part of the team further. In the fifth match, Shubman Gill scored just 17 and 4 runs, whereas Hanuma Vihari managed 20 and 11 runs, thus, failing the chance given. 

Reacting to the same, former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer said, "(On whether Gill and Vihari missed out on the opportunity to cement their place) Yes. Because after this, the main players like Rohit Sharma and Rahul will come back. Players like Sarfaraz Khan are knocking on the door, and even Suryakumar Yadav is available. So yes, to some extent (they have missed a chance)".

Even fans couldn't stop slamming the batters and raising questions on other viable players like Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav. If such performances are carried forward, it will severely affect India's position in test cricket, thus indicating an end road for the struggling players