As the upcoming Mumbai Test draws near, fans find themselves wondering if they’re about to witness the “last dance” of four Indian cricket giants—Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rohit Sharma—on home soil in Test whites. These players have been instrumental in making India nearly unbeatable at home, creating a formidable aura that was recently challenged by the relentless New Zealand team in Pune. On November 1, as fans pour into Wankhede Stadium, they may be paying tribute to a remarkable era of Indian cricket, uncertain if these legends will all share the field on Indian turf again.
The next home Test series won’t be until October 2025 against the West Indies, and by then, age and fitness may become factors. Ashwin is 38, Rohit is 37, Kohli will soon be 36, and Jadeja turns 36 in December. Given their respective ages, it’s uncertain if all four will still be active in the national lineup by then.
India’s dominance at home is well-documented, with 55 Tests played and 42 won since 2012. This quartet has been pivotal in those matches, contributing to 17 wins out of 22 games they’ve played together. Yet the recent series loss to New Zealand hints at a shift. Although bowlers like Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, and Axar Patel have stepped up as capable lower-order batters to offset top-order lapses, persistent struggles at the top—especially against spin—are apparent. For instance, Kohli averages only 28.3 against spin in Asia since 2020, while Rohit’s aggressive approach has often led to hasty dismissals, compromising the stability that made him dependable in previous series.
Ashwin and Jadeja have shown signs of decline in their recent outings. Ashwin’s consistency has wavered, with an economy rate this year higher than his career average of 2.83, signaling that opponents may be figuring him out. Jadeja, once renowned for his precision, has similarly seen an uptick in his economy rate and is more frequently tested by cuts and aggressive play.
Jadeja’s commitment to the game has become a question with his growing interests outside cricket, including politics and horse racing. In Pune, captain Rohit set early deep fielders for both spinners—a subtle acknowledgment of their waning dominance. When Rishabh Pant was heard urging his teammates to lift their “body language” after Ashwin and Jadeja struggled against New Zealand’s batsmen, it felt like a stark reminder of the peak years when crowd favorites “bowled, Ash” and “bowled, Jaddu bhai” were the norm.
This Mumbai Test might indeed be a farewell tour of sorts for these four legends, a moment for fans to cherish what they’ve given to Indian cricket. And if it is the “last dance,” it’s one that will be remembered for years to come.
