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Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two of India’s batting stalwarts, are nearing the end of their respective international careers.
Virat Kohli (left) and Rohit Sharma are currently in Dubai for the Champions Trophy. (AFP Photo)
With cricket set to make its long-awaited Olympics return at the Los Angeles Games in 2028, two of India’s finest cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been urged to continue playing the game and bring home a gold medal from the quadrennial spectacle.
Both Rohit and Kohli are inching closer to the end of their respective careers with the duo already retiring from T20Is last year following the team’s world cup win. Their performances in Test cricket, especially during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has also led to criticism.
The two ageing superstars though have a chance to win another ICC trophy together with India qualifying for the final of the ongoing Champions Trophy where they will face New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday.
Former India cricketer S Sreesanth feels Kohli and Rohit should be part of India’s Olympic contingent for the LA Games.
“Everybody’s talking about Virat and you know Rohit might be retiring. Please let them keep playing. We are going to win the Olympics because there is nothing like an Olympian Virat and Olympian Rohit winning the gold medal for the country,” Sreesanth told India Today.
Kohli has been in fine form in the Champions Trophy having scored 217 runs at an average of 72.33 from four matches so far. On the other hand, Rohit is yet to register a big score even though he has been providing brisk starts at the top.
Sreesanth also praised fast bowler Mohammed Shami who recently made his international comeback after spending a significant period on the sidelines recovering from an ankle injury.
“Shami ‘one of the biggest fighters. I remember seeing him bowl at the nets. I used to tell him, ‘Shami, you will go a long way’, and I like it a lot because of the way he has upgraded himself,” he said.
Shami has eight wickets from four games and is the currently the second-highest wicket-taker of the ongoing tournament behind New Zealand’s Matt Henry who has 10 wickets to his name.
