Former Indian batsman Mohammad Kaif has always expressed his harsh views about the Indian selectors and in another major development, he mentioned that many selectors are waiting for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to fail.
Before the start of the Australia tour, there was a lot of talk about the future of Indian stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, as both had retired from two other formats and their chances of maintaining their good form by playing such limited international matches looked slim.
However, both the legends made shocking comebacks in international cricket. Indians will play both of them in the upcoming series against South Africa and then New Zealand. After this there will be IPL and then India will travel to England for the white ball tour. So, plenty of white-ball action awaits both the great players until the next World Cup in 2027.
Rohit Sharma finished as the leading run-scorer for India on Australia tour
Rohit Sharma has been the most effective batsman in the series, as he has always been against Australia. With a solid average of 57.7 against Australia, his average is by far the highest for any player in the history of the game against the mighty Australian team in ODI cricket.
Rohit scored a brilliant 73 in very difficult batting conditions in Adelaide as he maintained his composure and expertly guided India through the tough times despite the early dismissals of Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli. SCG has always been a second home for Rohit, as he scored another century here and scored 202 runs in three matches.
Rohit averaged 101 in the series and batted at a slightly lower strike rate than his usual, but his composure has impressed more than anything else in the series. He was part of a 118-run partnership with Shreyas in Adelaide and then a 168* run partnership with Kohli in Sydney.
“He has this thing in his mind that people are waiting for him to fail,” revealed Mohammad Kaif.
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has expressed strong support towards Indian batting legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. However, he has made a very controversial comment claiming that many selectors are waiting for these two to fail so that they can drop them from the ODI setup before the next World Cup in 2027.
Kaif claimed, “In the back of their mind, they know that people are waiting for them to fail. There are selectors and some media people. Now there is also the stubbornness of Virat Kohli, of Rohit Sharma. Look at their faces, they looked focused but calm.”
“He has extra determination. He is determined to play on his own terms in this format and will not give anyone a chance to remove him from the team,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif’s verdict on Indian legends, “You need Rohit Sharma on the bouncy pitch of South Africa. Same is the case with Virat.”
The experienced pair, with their 168-run partnership, recorded the 12th 150+ partnership between them, equaling the previous record previously held between Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly for India. It seemed as if his statement was that his eyes are set on the 2027 ICC World Cup.
Mohammad Kaif also highlighted how not only their experience but also the South African conditions demand players like Kohli and Rohit in the XI for the World Cup.
Kaif said, “It is important to have Rohit and Virat in the team in South Africa because they bring experience with them. You need Rohit Sharma on the bouncy tracks of South Africa. Same with Virat. He plays well on fast, bouncy tracks. Rohit Sharma has shown that age is just a number. You fix things only when they break. People support Rohit and Virat because they know they have done nothing wrong.” Haven’t done it.”
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