
The star Indian pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are currently out of contention from the T20I squad, with the latest reports suggesting Rohit himself asked selectors to prefer youngsters going forward. Rohit’s old foe on the field and a friend of his, Chris Gayle, has echoed his thoughts on what the future holds for these two stalwarts in the shortest format.
Since last year’s T20 World Cup in Australia, where India got knocked out in the semis, Virat and Rohit haven’t appeared for India in the T20Is. However, Gayle, a veteran and perhaps the best T20 cricketer batter, said if both want to continue, then they must as they have the right to take a call on their T20I future, considering the T20 World Cup, which is nearly seven months away.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Legends League Cricket (LLC), Gayle backed Rohit to play a crucial role in India’s preparation for the World T20 title in the West Indies and the USA next year.
"Those guys have to make a call for themselves. If they want to play, why not? They have done a lot for the country, and they deserve to make a call on themselves," Gayle told IANS.
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Much like how Gayle approaches his game, Rohit has almost followed the same path over the years. Hailing the hard-hitting Indian captain, Gayle said,"I like his aggressive batting. I want batters to destroy bowlers, and Rohit Sharma is one of them who does that."
Gayle also showered words of praise on his former IPL teammate Virat Kohli, who, during the recently-concluded World Cup, completed his 50th ODI hundred, going past legendary Sachin Tendulkar on the list of players with the most tons in the 50-over format.
"To get the 50 ODI century is unbelievable. It was just fantastic to break the record of a legendary player like Sachin Tendulkar. And I don't see anyone getting close to that record,” Gayle added.
After the World Cup 2023 final heartbreak, the young Indian Team is taking on Australia in the home five-match T20Is. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the new-look side is currently coached by NCA head VVS Laxman, who is said to be taking over the head coach’s role from Dravid.
Though uncertainty around who would lead India in next year's T20 World Cup keeps floating, the Men in Blue will look to tick off the right balance of youngsters and experienced players in their squad.