There was a time in India, about 15 years in the past, when the most-asked query amongst followers was ‘When will Salman Khan get married?’ Quick ahead to 2026, that ship appears to have lengthy sailed, however changed by one other red-hot question: Will Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma play the 2027 World Cup? If Indian cricket followers had a time machine, anticipate a protracted queue. Kohli and Rohit are the 2 greatest superstars of Indian cricket. Even on the twilight of their careers, there’s nobody greater by way of star energy, respect and fan following. There are fan wars between Kohli and Rohit supporters which might be solely getting greater with time and promise to stay lengthy after they’ve stepped apart from worldwide cricket. In reality, solely 4 names in Indian cricket are greater than the remainder – Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Kohli and Rohit. And as destiny would have it, all 4 of them grew to become a speaking level when the nice man MS Dhoni graced the stage for a uncommon dialogue.
Dhoni has mentioned cricket a lot that he tries to keep away from it, however even the nice man couldn’t escape the chance to discuss essentially the most burning query in Indian cricket. Do Kohli and Rohit have what it takes to make that flight to South Africa late subsequent 12 months? He tried to keep away from that query at first, pretending to not hear it. However as host Jatin Sapru insisted, Dhoni, eventually, weighed in.
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“Why not?” mentioned India’s most profitable white-ball captain Dhoni. “Pay attention, the factor is, why ought to someone not play the subsequent World Cup? For me, age shouldn’t be a standards. Efficiency and health are. So, I at all times really feel no one must be informed something. However the factor must be clear. Everybody can be handled the identical manner. Once I made my debut, I used to be 24. No one got here and informed me something. So if I’m enjoying for India – 1, 2, 5 or 10 years – no one wants to return and inform me about my age. Is age an element? No. Health? Sure.
“Even if you happen to’re 22 and also you’re not match, that’s an issue. Whether or not it’s Rohit, whether or not it’s Virat, and even different names that come ahead. The entire thing is, simply because someone is of their 30s, whether or not they can or can not play the subsequent World Cup, it’s not for us to determine. It’s for them to determine. In the event that they maintain performing, if they’ve to induce to do nicely, then why not?”
Dhoni counters Gambhir, Agarkar
As Dhoni burdened expertise, one should not ignore two essential components. Kohli and Rohit are 38, and by the World Cup, could be 39 and 40 respectively. Dhoni himself performed worldwide cricket until 39, enjoying his final match throughout India’s 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand in Manchester. Then once more, in Rohit and Kohli’s case, their retirement from T20Is and Assessments, and the truth that they now play just one format, does increase questions on sport time. Kohli, nonetheless, has firmly put these doubts to relaxation, smashing 616 runs in his final seven ODIs, with Rohit not far behind at 401 from his final 10. Dhoni, in the meantime, has at all times been a staunch believer in expertise, in backing gamers who’ve seen all of it.
“How do you get skilled individuals? You’ll be able to’t get a 20-year-old who’s skilled, except it’s Sachin Tendulkar. You’ll be able to solely get expertise if you happen to begin enjoying at 16-17. And worldwide cricket may be very totally different. So now in order for you expertise, you want people who find themselves 30, 32, 33. In the event you’re calling 20-25 video games as expertise, that’s mistaken. If individuals are performing, they’ll be there. In the event that they’re not performing, they gained’t,” added MS Dhoni.
