With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in their mid-thirties, the Indian team management has started looking beyond the two stalwarts. The consistent run given to newcomers after the end of 2022 T20 World Cup has indicated the selectors are aiming to at least start the transitioning phase in the shortest format.
The most visible indicator of this shift is reflected from the fact that neither Rohit nor Kohli has featured in a T20I for India since the world cup last year.
However, their success in the ODI world cup could trigger a change in mindset.
Kohli and Rohit finishes as the top-two run-getters of the competition and their former India teammate Ashish Nehra thinks they are still good enough to play all three formats despite their age.
“Virat Kohli is scoring 800 runs, 1000 runs in a calendar year,” Nehra said on JioCinema. “The way Rohit Sharma is batting, any selector will be tempted. Although they might have a discussion about whether or not Kohli and Rohit want to play the format ‘okay I might not play, I might rest’. Unless they announce their retirement from the format in sometime, I hope that’s not the case. Both Rohit and Virat are good enough to play any format as long as they are scoring runs and having fun.”
There are reports that the selectors might leave it to Rohit and Kohli to decide whether they want themselves to be available for the T20Is with the world cup now seven months away.
India are currently hosting Australia for a five-match T20I series featuring plenty of youngsters. Both Rohit and Kohli aren’t part of the squad with the pair resting after the world cup campaign.
As per news agency PTI, a BCCI source says the two batting greats can be part of the T20 World Cup campaign if they want to, calling them India’s “biggest players”.
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