Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has shared his thoughts on the future of legendary batter Virat Kohli and India captain Rohit Sharma in the T20I format, especially after the T20 World Cup 2024.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are the pillars of Indian batting and their records in the T20I format are top notch. Rohit Sharma was part of the T20 World Cup 2007 winning Indian team, while Virat Kohli is the only player to get Man of the Tournament in two successive T20 World Cups in 2014 and 2016.
Rohit Sharma has played 151 T20Is for India and has 3974 runs with a strike rate of 139.97 and an average of 31.79. He holds the record for most centuries in T20Is with 5 tons to his name and 29 fifties.
On the other hand, Virat Kohli is the leading run-getter in the world in T20Is, with 4037 runs in 117 matches at an average of 51.75 and a strike rate of 138.15. He has one century and 37 fifties to his name.
“These guys deserve to retire when they want” – Yuvraj Singh on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
However, age has crept up on both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rohit is currently 37 years old, while Virat Kohli is 35. Both have been great for the Indian team in the past, but Yuvraj Singh feels that despite all their achievements and laurels, after the upcoming T20 World Cup, Kohli and Rohit should stop playing T20Is and focus on ODIs and Tests.
Yuvraj has refused to give a deadline for when he believes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should retire from international cricket because he understands how crucial they are to India’s chances in this year’s T20 World Cup.
Rather, Yuvraj recommended that Rohit and Kohli focus on other formats of cricket and think about quitting T20I cricket after the T20 World Cup.
“As you get older people start talking about your age and they forget about your form. These guys have been great players for India and they deserve to go (retire) when they want. 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,” Yuvraj said on the ICC website.
