Copyright timesnownews
Former India captain and chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth has urged the BCCI selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, not to doubt the abilities of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and to support them wholeheartedly in ODI cricket. Rohit and Kohli have recently made a comeback to the Indian ODI side after their emotional retirement from Test cricket in May. Rohit ended the three-match series against Australia with the Player of the Series award for being the highest run-getter. He also slammed an unbeaten 121 in the third ODI. Kohli, on the other hand, played an unbeaten 74-run innings after being dismissed for ducks in the first two matches. Both Rohit and Kohli had last played ODIs prior to the Australia series in March, when they were part of India’s ICC Champions Trophy-winning team in Dubai. While Rohit and Kohli chose to call time on their T20I and Test careers, they decided to continue in ODIs — the format where they have performed better than any other. However, chief selector Ajit Agarkar recently said the duo is not yet committed to the next ODI World Cup, which will be played in Africa in 2027. Backing Rohit and Kohli, Srikkanth said, “Ro-Ko set for 2027. Rohit, in my opinion, has to surely play the 2027 World Cup. Don’t bring the age factor. Don’t say ‘he is touching 40, brushing 40, reaching 40’. Stop all these. He is fit, he is playing well, taking slip catches cleanly. What else do you want? He is scoring in every match. He played effortlessly in Sydney. It felt similar to the way he played in the 2019 World Cup. Yes, he didn’t go to the sixth gear and seventh gear. He was going in third and fourth gear,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel. Talking about Kohli’s fitness, Srikkanth added, “Virat Kohli, on the other hand, can play until 45, given his fitness. He is as fit as a 25-year-old.” Srikkanth also made a strong appeal to the selectors to communicate clearly with the two veterans instead of leaving them in uncertainty. “Don’t spook them. Don’t instil fear. Leave them alone. I think you have to tell them that they are important for the team. Tell them to look after themselves. ‘We will form the team around you. You two are very important. Please make sure you are fit enough.’ I think this should be the thought process and communication. If they do it this way, it will be good for Team India and the two players,” he explained.
