India’s comprehensive defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, part of a broader stretch of six losses in eight matches, has opened a plethora of concerns about the current Indian team. One of the most pressing issues is the future of senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) scheduled to discuss this matter at their Special General Meeting on Sunday, the board’s new secretary, Devajit Saikia, has been told to send a “strict message” to chief selector Ajit Agarkar regarding the need for a resolution and a potential overhaul of the team.

Kohli and Rohit were already under scrutiny before their tour to Australia, which was seen as a make-or-break series for them. While Kohli managed to score a century in Perth, he could only add 90 more runs in the remaining innings, failing to score a single half-century. Rohit, on the other hand, struggled throughout the tour, scoring just 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.2 before dropping himself from the series decider in Sydney. In total, he accumulated only 164 runs in eight matches since September, with a meager average of just over 10.

With the focus shifting to the white-ball format ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, for which India must submit a provisional squad by January 12 board’s new secretary Devajit Saikia has been told to send chief selector Ajit Agarkar a “strict message. “Saikia has highlighted the growing concerns surrounding the futures of both players. While Kohli has clarified that retirement is not on his mind, especially after his decision to step down from the Sydney Test, the ongoing rumours about their status are making the BCCI appear weak.

In an interview a former BCCI official stressed that the board must send a strong message. He subtly suggested that both Kohli and Rohit should be dropped from the Test team, underscoring that no player should be considered bigger than the game itself.

“The message being sent is not good,” the former official stated. “While players may be beloved by fans online, the BCCI is responsible for managing cricket in the country, and it must be seen to be doing so. Now, it is crucial to send a strong message that no player is above the game. The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is under the BCCI’s guidance, and the new secretary should firmly instruct him to make the right decisions.”