T20 World Cup 2024 not the end of the road for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma admits Parthiv Patel
Published - 24 May 2024, 01:43 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:12 AM
Former India cricketer Parthiv Patel opened up about the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA in June. Parthiv Patel stated that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have the autonomy to make decisions regarding their T20 cricket future.
As the World Cup approaches, all eyes will be on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The veteran batters returned to T20I cricket in January 2024, following a hiatus since the semi-final loss in 2022. The duo's form will be crucial for the Men in Blue to secure their first ICC title since the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Virat has been in exceptional form in the IPL 2024. He leads the Orange Cap race with 741 runs in 15 matches at an impressive strike rate of 154.69, including a century and five fifties. Meanwhile, Rohit scored 417 runs in 14 innings with a strike rate of 150.00, including a century and a half-century.
Young Indian talents like Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prabhsimran Singh, Sai Sudharsan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill emerged in the IPL 2024 season. The upcoming T20 World Cup might mark the end of Kohli and Sharma's final assignment for the Men in Blue in the shorter format.
Don't Think We Can Write Off Any Players - Parthiv Patel
Speaking to India Today, Parthiv Patel said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will excel in the World Cup. Patel stated that players like Rohit and Kohli understand their game well and have the ability to reinvent themselves. He cited examples like his own and Dinesh Karthik's comeback.
"I don't think we can write off any players at any point in time. Anyone can get into the side at that given time. I've made a comeback after eight years. You have seen Dinesh Karthik make a comeback after 9 years. So it depends individually on that player," Parthiv said.
"When we're talking about the category of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli who are the legends of the game, they understand their game really well. They know where they stand. They keep reinventing themselves. We saw what Rohit Sharma did in the 50-over World Cup and now we saw what Virat Kohli did in the IPL, where they keep reinventing themselves," he added.
They Are Playing For So Long And Doing Really Well - Parthiv Patel
The cricketer-turned-commentator expressed uncertainty about whether India will overhaul changes to the T20I side. Patel highlighted MS Dhoni's ability to adapt and excel even in his 40s, despite retiring from international cricket.
"So it is a tough thing for me to say whether India are going to have an overhaul or not, because those guys know themselves and the same goes with MS Dhoni, at 42 he is playing the shots, which he was not in his 30s. So, you know, there's a reason why you know, they are playing for so long and doing really well," he concluded.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled its World Cup squad in April. Rohit Sharma was appointed captain, with Hardik Pandya serving as his deputy. KL Rahul, who was part of the 2022 squad, was left out. Rinku Singh was dropped, despite his impressive record for India in T20Is.