File photo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.© AFP
Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh feels veteran batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should consider retiring from the shortest format of the game after the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA. Kohli and Rohit’s future with the Indian team in T20Is has been a major point of discussion leading into the World Cup. Both had not played a T20I in over a year until the home series against Afghanistan earlier this year in January.
While Yuvraj feels that Kohli and Rohit have earned the right to make a call on their future, it’s time for the young crop of players to come in and stake their claim.
“As you get older people start talking about your age and they forget about your for. These guys have been great players for India, and they deserve to go (retire) when they want,” Yuvraj, who is an ambassador for the T20 World Cup 2024, told ICC.
Yuvraj also suggested that playing all three formats has taken the toll on Kohli and Rohit, who are in the latter phase of their careers.
“I would like to see more younger players in the T20 format because it gets the load off them (experienced players) playing 50-over (ODIs) and Test matches. After this (T20) World Cup I would like to see a lot of younger guys come into the team and make the T20 side for the next World Cup,” he added.
There have been discussions regarding the possibility of Rohit and Kohli opening the batting together during the World Cup.
It has been reported that the selectors with meet with Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid in the coming days to pick the World Cup squad.
The meeting is expected to take place in Delhi with Rohit in the city for Mumbai Indians’ game against the Delhi Capitals on Saturday.
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