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Shikhar Dhawan believes BCCI selectors dropping Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma would cause a ‘storm’ in India, affecting team success and mental relaxation.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (R). (PC: AFP)
Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan believes that the backing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma get from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors is a combination of their experience’s importance and their popularity in the country. He also feels that dropping them would cause a ‘storm’ in the country.
Skipper Rohit and senior batter Kohli’s performances were under high scrutiny in the last six months as India lost back-to-back Test series against New Zealand and Australia. However, they have recovered some of it ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE, with Rohit scoring a century in the second ODI against England and Kohli hitting his first fifty in a while in the third match.
“They (selectors) cannot remove them (seniors like Rohit, Virat), if they do, there will be a storm,” Dhawan said in an interview with ANI. “In our country, because the public looks at cricket with so many emotions, it’s a religion, so their emotions are series to series, up and down. One series is good, so many people are happy. If they lose, even loss of one series, then their sorrow goes to that level. It is important to have senior players in a good team. You cannot buy experience. It is good to see that youngsters are doing well. But it is important to have seniors. And it is totally fine that they did not do well one or two series. But the seniors who have worked hard for so many years and earned so much fame, even when you talk about fan following, that has also been earned. No one gives anything to anyone for free. So there is 10-15 years of hard work that goes behind it,” he added.
Dhawan added that the team’s ‘probability of winning’ tournaments is higher with the two seniors in the team because they keep the team ‘mentally relaxed’.
“Bad patch can come. But they (Rohit and Virat) have done it for so many years. So you will bet on the same horse that you know will win. [The] probability of winning is very high. So, I feel that backing is very important. For the youngsters, the pressure is new, be it for the Champions Trophy or any other World Cup. So, you need seniors to keep you mentally relaxed,” he said.
Dhawan backs Kohli
Dhawan also offered his backing to Kohli, saying that though it was fine to feel ‘sad’ with his recent slump, the supporters should back him to come good in the Champions Trophy.
“Virat has achieved… way big things, you know, and… making 70-80 centuries is a big thing. We have been together since I was 17 years old. The level of player he is… and he gets out many times, even we feel sad. But that does not mean that 0 to 100 will come straight away. It is (CT) such a big tournament. So I feel that as fans and supporters, we should support them and give all our love and positive energy. Seniors are needed. In any field, when you were young, someone must have mentored you,” he added.
India’s Champions Trophy campaign will begin on February 20 against Bangladesh in the UAE.
