India’s ageing batting core shouldn’t be culled because of their dismal Australian tour, stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag says.

And Sehwag has pleaded with angry Indian fans to support the battered Test team in a time of need, rubbishing perceptions the players don’t care.

The Indian camp on Saturday described as “baseless” reports that senior players such as Rahul Dravid would retire in the wake of the 4-0 series loss to Australia.

Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sehwag all averaged less than 25 against the Australians, who secured a series sweep on Saturday by crushing India by 298 runs in the fourth Test in Adelaide.

Sehwag was adamant the experienced batting crop and Sachin Tendulkar, who averaged a mere mortal 35.87 this series, should continue playing.

“I don’t think there is a need for retirement from anybody in this team,” Sehwag said.

“They will take their call when they need it and when they think their time is up.”

Sehwag said India’s cricket-mad public had every right to be disturbed by the Test series thumping.

“They should be upset with our performances and I totally agree with them,” he said.

“But this is the time the fans should back the team, back the players.

“When we won the World Cup, everybody was happy and everybody was cheering for Team India.

“And now is the time we need the support from everybody. They should back their own team.”

Suggestions the players didn’t care about the poor results were “unfair”, he said.

“Everyone cares for his performance and when the team loses,” Sehwag said.

“We are passionate about our game – we are passionate about our team.

“We are trying (but) it’s not happening.

“It doesn’t mean we are happy to lose here.”

Sehwag summed up India’s confused state by offering contrasting next steps for the tourists.

In one breath, he said “the best way out is to forget what happened”.

And in the next, he said “we have to look at ourselves and what went wrong with us and then we have to take a call”.

“We made our own plans and they didn’t click – it happens,” Sehwag said.

“It happens with every team, every player.

“The time is not good for the Indian team – we didn’t do well.

“(But) times change and, next year, we’ll see that top order getting a good start and scoring bigger.”