Harbhajan Singh backs Kohli, Rohit to come good before T20 World Cup

Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are going through a form slump in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League and neither of them is close to having some sort of contribution to match their own standard. While Kohli's was form was called "a concern" by the likes of Ian Bishop, Rohit's continuous underperformance in the last six-seven years couldn't have a blip this year, with the Indian skipper's form being one of the prime factors behind Mumbai losing eight games in a row.

However, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh feels that both of them have it in them to turn it around and start delivering ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.

"They are champion players, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, they are champion, world-class players, I am hopeful that they will get back to form much before the (T20) World Cup. This (lean patch) is a part and parcel of the game, everyone goes through this and I am sure they will come out of it and they will become even stronger and better players out of this (phase)," Harbhajan said in an event.

Umran Malik's pace has caught everyone's attention this year, with the pacer hitting the 150 mark quite consistently. While that hasn't always worked, but there are calls for him to be selected for the ICC T20 World Cup later this year in Australia, where many feel his pace would come in handy. Harbhajan also joins the chorus to call for his inclusion.

"He (Umran Malik) is my favourite, I want to see him in the Indian team because what a bowler he is. Tell me anyone bowler who bowls more than 150 (kmph) and is not playing for the country. So, I think it is a great thing and he will inspire many youngsters to take up this game, where he has come from and what he is doing in IPL, he has been unbelievable," he added.

Harbhajan said if he was on the national selection committee, he would have drafted the Jammu pacer into the Indian team. "And I don't know whether he will be selected or not but if I was part of the selection committee, I would have given a go-ahead. Umran Malik should partner Jasprit Bumrah when India plays in Australia (for T20 World Cup), said the former off-spinner. I am sure he (Umran) will also learn, he's a promising cricketer and I hope he gets selected and plays for India," the Punjab spinner added.