The future of veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in T20Is has been a topic of discussion following India’s World Cup final defeat to Australia. With the T20 World Cup scheduled for next year, the Indian cricket team is expected to undergo a transition phase. Reports suggest that head coach Rahul Dravid is unlikely to extend his contract, and Rohit Sharma is also unlikely to feature in the shortest format. While there has been no mention of Kohli in these reports, he has not played a T20I in over a year.
During the past 12 months, Hardik Pandya has captained the team in T20Is, indicating that he is likely to continue leading the team in the future. Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar believes that India does not have a better opener than Rohit Sharma and that both Rohit and Kohli still have a lot of cricket left in them.
Akhtar emphasized the importance of Hardik Pandya’s role in respectfully phasing out Rohit and Kohli if India does go through a transitional phase. He mentioned how previous Indian captains, such as Dhoni and Kohli, showed respect to their predecessors and expects the same from Pandya. Akhtar believes that it is now Pandya’s responsibility to bid farewell to the two great players with respect. He acknowledged the favors Pandya has received from them and highlighted the need to repay that gratitude. Akhtar emphasized the legendary status of Rohit and Kohli in Indian cricket and stressed the importance of giving them due respect before they are let go.
Overall, the article discusses the future of Kohli and Rohit in T20Is, the potential transition phase of the Indian cricket team, and Akhtar’s views on the role of Hardik Pandya in respectfully phasing out the two veterans.
