India's senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been warned of an early exit from international cricket by former wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta.
Rohit and Kohli have been under the spotlight since both retired from Test cricket last year, leaving ODIs as their only international format. The constant scrutiny surrounding their careers has intensified following India's 1-2 ODI series defeat against England. Despite both continuing to deliver for India, questions over their future have refused to die down.
Dasgupta believes the standards applied to the two stalwarts should remain unchanged despite the increasing scrutiny. "There is no conversation needed with them about their places in the team. Four years back, it wasn’t like they had to be reminded before every series that they would be in the team," he said on his YouTube channel. Dasgupta added that the pair should hit the ground running in every series, rather than taking time to settle.
The debate surrounding Rohit and Kohli's ODI future refuses to die down, with neither head coach Gautam Gambhir nor chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar having publicly committed to their participation in the 2027 World Cup. Rohit silenced critics with a match-winning century in the series finale, while Kohli chipped in with two half-centuries. However, Dasgupta believes the constant speculation is largely because the pair now feature in only one international format.
Dasgupta pointed out that when players participate in multiple formats, a failure in one format is often forgotten. "When you play multiple formats, if you fail in one but score in the other, the failure is forgotten," he said. With Rohit and Kohli now playing only ODIs, their every performance is subject to greater scrutiny, making the challenge of adapting to new series even more daunting.
The BCCI leadership has dismissed reports that the Lord's ODI against England would be Rohit's final international appearance. However, the constant speculation surrounding his future is unlikely to subside anytime soon. With the 2027 World Cup just around the corner, the debate surrounding Rohit and Kohli's places in the Indian team is set to continue.
India's next ODI series is scheduled to take place against Australia in September. The pressure on Rohit and Kohli to perform will be immense, and Dasgupta's warning serves as a reminder that their places in the team are far from guaranteed. With their ODI careers hanging in the balance, one thing is certain – the scrutiny surrounding Rohit and Kohli's future will only intensify in the coming months.
Source: Yahoo Sports