Follow UsFormer Indian skippers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in the last stage of their respective careers and play only the ODI format for India. When the team to Australia was announced that would play three ODIs, both were named in the side, but Rohit was no more the skipper as that responsibility was given to Shubman Gill.
That brought up a lot of questions on the future of the two stalwarts, and especially Rohit, since he has a more attacking game than Kohli and is around two years older as well.
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif identified this same conundrum of judgment when it comes to Rohit on his YouTube channel.
“People are saying that Virat Kohli will be assessed, but I think that is something which will apply to Rohit Sharma,” Kaif said.
“Rohit is not captaining, and the way he has been playing over the years, scoring 20 to 30, but when a big match comes, he scores 80, a match-winning knock, that’s how his career has gone. He never scores consistently.”
Kaif added that Rohit’s aggressive batting style makes him prone to getting out quicker, despite having the ability to show up in crucial games like he did in the Champions Trophy. This raises questions on the metrics of judgment for Rohit, and Kaif believed that, as a result, it would be unfair to judge him on the basis of just one or two games.
“The difference between him and Kohli in their numbers is that Kohli brings consistency, while Rohit brings match-winning innings and knocks,” Kaif added.
“It will be difficult for the selectors. What if Rohit fails in the Australia series? People will say he is out of form, but if you look at his career, he often fails in two or three innings and then comes back strong. Even in the Champions Trophy, he scored 30 to 40 in the early games and then became the Player of the Match in the final.
“In the World Cup, you will need experienced players. If they’ve decided that they’re not being treated right, and they’re close to retirement, that’s their personal choice. But if both of them play in the World Cup, India’s pride will rise, and match-winning innings will definitely come from their bats. My only appeal is not to judge them based on two or three innings.”