The discussion around the future of Kohli and Rohit has gained prominence following India’s loss in the ODI World Cup final to Australia, especially considering the depth of talent in the current Indian cricket setup.
New Delhi: Indian captain Rohit Sharma is likely to feature in the T20 World Cup 2024 which will be hosted by the United States and West Indies from 4 June to 30 June 2024. However, the 36-year-old had not played any T20I since the 2023 T20I World Cup which was played in Australia.
Earlier, there were speculations that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will not play the upcoming T20 World Cup because both of them have not played a single T20I match after 2023 World Cup.
“Yes, there remains a question what happens when Hardik comes back but in BCCI, they feel that if Rohit agrees to lead in T20Is, he will lead in the T20 World Cup. In case Rohit doesn’t agree then Surya continues as captain for T20Is in South Africa,” a BCCI source privy to the development told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
Earlier, former England skipper Kevin Pietersen also reckoned that Indian captain Rohit Sharma and batting stalwart Virat Kohli have “every chance” to be in India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World 2024.
The discussion around the future of Kohli and Rohit has gained prominence following India’s loss in the ODI World Cup final to Australia, especially considering the depth of talent in the current Indian cricket setup.
While Rohit and Kohli showcased impressive form in the recently concluded ODI World Cup in India, Pietersen emphasizes that their performance in the IPL 2024 will play a pivotal role in determining their selection for the T20 World Cup scheduled for June next year.
“They ( Kohli and Rohit) have every chance, would have to see how they go in IPL, check them in the IPL. Because they have been so incredible servants to Indian cricket, you have to give them the respect and you have to ask them that according to form whether they fancy their chances or not. They are fabulous cricketers,” Pietersen told IANS in an exlusive interview.
On Sunday, all the 10 franchises of the IPL cumulatively retained 173 players. Rohit and Kohli were retained by Mumbai Indians and RCB respectively. Pietersen said since there isn’t a much gap between the IPL 2024 and next year’s T20 World Cup, it might be a swan song for couple of players.