From commentators on the cricket field to the fans on social media, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Place in India’s T20I side has become a hot topic of discussion. The new one to join this debate is former Indian coach and popular commentator Ravi Shastri.
While talking to the Espncricinfo, Shastri said, “Virat and Rohit are right where Sachin, Rahul Dravid, and Sourav and Laxman were. So, you know there is a template before you. If Virat and Rohit do not rule themselves out of T20, then it is up to form; one year is a long time. You will pick the best guys at that time, and then, of course, experience will also count, fitness will count.”
He added, “Players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are proven, you know what they are all about. I would go in the direction of blooding the young players right now so that they get the opportunities and exposure, whilst you keep the likes of Virat and Rohit fresh for ODI cricket and Test cricket.”
The strike rate of Rohit and Virat in this season of IPL is not making their case stronger for the next T20 World Cup in 2024. At the same time, the sudden decline against the spinners has made it difficult for Virat to play like an anchor, as he even failed to rotate the strike against them.
On the other hand, current Indian captain Rohit has not only lost his power game, but unlike Kohli, he is struggling with fitness issues.
The youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Verma and Jitesh Sharma have created havoc with their power game and timing and made the life of the opposition teams difficult.
They are now knocking on the selectors door with brutal force. It won’t be easy for Rohit and Virat to hold their ground still. The pressure created on the outside by the critics is slowly reaching the minds of both the senior players. How they cope up with the pressure will decide the future of the two shining stars of Indian cricket?
