Virat Kohli: ‘You need experience…’: Wasim Akram on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s T20I future ahead of T20 World Cup

NEW DELHI: In the aftermath of India’s heart-wrenching defeat to Australia in the ICC ODI World Cup final, the burning question on the minds of cricket enthusiasts is whether skipper Rohit Sharma and the run-machine Virat Kohli will feature in the T20 World Cup 2024 squad.
Former players are now weighing in on the future of these two batting stalwarts, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the post-ODI World Cup discussions.

Formidable Form

Despite the ODI World Cup disappointment, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli showcased outstanding form, finishing as the top two run-scorers in the tournament.
Kohli, who earned the player of the tournament accolade, amassed a record-breaking 765 runs at an impressive average of 95.62. Not far behind, Rohit Sharma secured the second position with 597 runs at an average of 54.27.

Unanswered Questions
The lingering uncertainty arises from the fact that Rohit and Kohli haven’t donned the T20I jersey for India since November last year. The hiatus began following India’s 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final defeat against England, where they suffered a crushing 10-wicket loss.

The absence of these two batting maestros from the T20I scene has fueled speculation about their role in the upcoming T20 World Cup. While their current form suggests they are at the top of their game, the absence from T20Is in recent times adds a layer of uncertainty to their inclusion in the squad.

What Are Experts Saying
“The T20 World Cup is happening within six months from now. I will pick both of them (Rohit & Virat). They will be the main players for India right now, both Virat and skipper Rohit. You need a bit of experience in T20. Saarey young bachchey nahi rakh sakte aap (Can’t keep only the youngsters),” Pakistan bowling legend Washim Akram told Sportskeeda.
“They both need to get picked. They both should be picked. And more importantly, I want to see Rohit Sharma captaining in the T20 World Cup. Yes, Hardik Pandya has captained the T20 side, but I still want Rohit Sharma captaining in the T20 World Cup,” former India opening batter Gautam Gambhir said in the same discussion.
“Don’t pick Rohit Sharma just as a batter. Rohit Sharma is a phenomenal leader and he showed it with his batting in the ODI World Cup. So, if you pick Rohit as you should, then he should be the captain and not just a batter. And Virat automatically picks himself,” Gambhir added.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in T20Is
Like the top run-getters list after the ODI World Cup, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma lead the most runs’ list in T20Is too.