On Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's T20I Future, Ex India Star's Honest Verdict

26.11.2023 - 06:39 sports.ndtv.com

India's ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma's future in the shortest format remains a topic of discussion, with reports claiming that the veteran opener is unlikely to feature in T20Is going forward.

Rohit, along with fellow veteran Virat Kohli, hasn't played a single game in the shortest format since the T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to England last year.

Hardik Pandya has been leading the team in Rohit's absence in T20Is. The likes of Tilak Varma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rinku Singh have done well in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

While Rohit, 36, and Kohli, 35, not getting any younger, former India pacer Ashish Nehra age shouldn't be the only criteria to determine their future. "Age is no criterion.

cricket India Cricket Team on Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma Ruturaj Gaikwad Ashish Nehra Gujarat Titans India

The future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma has been the topic of several debates both among experts and fans in the recent past. Following India's defeat against Australia in the Cricket World Cup 2023 final, reports surfaced that the veteran duo are looking to move away from the shortest format of the sport and the conversation got more intense when they were not included in the white-ball series against South Africa. However, legendary South African cricketer AB De Villiers believes that it is all about the hunger in both the players and he backed Rohit and Virat to play for India in the T20 World Cup 2024.

Hardik Pandya Ending Rohit Sharma's 10-Year Reign As Mumbai Indians Skipper Sparks Massive Meme Fest

Hardik Pandya was appointed the Mumbai Indians skipper ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season ending the ten-year tenure of Rohit Sharma. Rohit was one of the most successful captains in the history of the competition with five trophies with MI. As a player, the Indian cricket team skipper has won six with one of them coming with Deccan Chargers. Pandya rejoined MI as part of a sensational trade move from Gujarat Titans where he was captain for two years and even led them to the title in 2022. In an official statement, Mumbai Indians explained that the change in leadership was part of their future planning and thanked Rohit for his service to the franchise. Mumbai Indians are currently the most successful IPL franchise along with Chennai Super Kings with five titles each.

Why Is Virat Kohli So Consistent In Yo-Yo Tests? Indian Coach Explains

Star India batter Virat Kohli is arguably one of the fittest cricketers in the world. The former India captain has been often credited for inspiring a young generation of cricketers for taking their fitness game to a next level. From his running between the wickets to his acrobatic fielding, Kohli has always stood out on the cricket field. Kohli has also been credited for introducing the Yo-Yo Test (a selection criteria aimed at estimating performance of athletes) in the Indian team.

"Virat Kohli Will Play Major Role": South Africa Great Praises India Star Ahead Of Test Series

Team India's ongoing all-format tour against South Africa started on a disappointing note as the first T20I got washed out due to rain in Durban on Sunday. The second T20I will be played on Tuesday in Gqeberha and the young guns of India, led by star batter Suryakumar Yadav will aim for a perfect outing. Post the T20Is and the three-match ODI series, both the teams will be squaring off in a two-match Test series, where skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be joining the squad.

Does Rohit Sharma Pass Yo-Yo Fitness Test? India Coach's Honest Response

Fitness wasn't always a selection criteria in the Indian team but with the evolution of cricket, a lot has changed. With Virat Kohli arguably being the finest example, Indian players have worked hard towards their first. Even the introduction of the Yo-Yo test has forced the players to work on their fitness in order to get into the Indian team. However, there also remains chatter on players like Rohit Sharma who often get people engaged in fitness debates. But, as far as India's strength and conditioning coach Ankit Kaliyar is concerned, Rohit is as fit as Kohli.

GTA 6 Meets Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya And Rohit Sharma: AI-Generated Pictures Break Internet

The trailer of "Grand Theft Auto 6" was released on social media as a surprise on Monday and the first look of the popular video game franchise has already gone viral on social media. The official handle of Jio Cinema took to social media to share AI-generated pictures of some Indian cricket team stars in the looks of GTA 6 characters. The posts on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) featured Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya. KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja looking like the characters in the popular game franchise. The users were quite impressed with the pictures and some of them came up with interesting comments.