Two of the finest batters of their generation, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are two stalwarts of Indian cricket. Both have done tremendously well over the years for the national team, but, their form and age have both been questioned as far as their T20I future is concerned. While both Kohli and Rohit aren’t presently being selected for T20Is, former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer feels the former might still go on to play the next T20 World Cup.
In a chat with former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali on YouTube, Jaffer admitted that he doesn’t see Rohit being a part of the Indian team in the next T20 World Cup. But, for Kohli, the possibilities are higher.
“Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were rested (from the T20Is against Sri Lanka and New Zealand) seeing the bigger picture, with the Tests against Australia coming up, then there’s IPL and then the ODI World Cup. India can qualify for the World Test Championship final. And rightly so. Looking at the future, this game is for youngsters. I don’t see Rohit Sharma playing in the next T20 World Cup, from a personal perspective. Virat Kohli may play, but Rohit Sharma definitely won’t play the next edition. He’s already 36 I think,” Jaffer said.
With this year set to feature the ODI World Cup at the end, Jaffer feels the priorities of the selectors to keep the likes of Kohli and Rohit fresh and keep them away from T20 internationals.
“So, looking at the bigger picture, it’s important that they are mentally fresh and ready for the Australia series,” Jaffer explained.
When asked if the youngsters in India’s T20I team need a ‘guiding force’ in the form of Kohli and Rohit, Jaffer wasn’t in agreement.
“I don’t think they need a guiding force. They have played so much of cricket in the IPL, that they don’t need someone to guide them in the middle,” he opined.
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