Ajit Agarkar, chairman of the selection committee, recently spoke about the future of modern-day greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Ajit Agarkar has hinted at a transition within the Indian cricket team, confirming that the fate of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be decided after the 2025 UCC Champions Trophy.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s future in international cricket has come under scrutiny following poor performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia. Their struggles have led to discussions about whether they will continue their careers beyond the next Champions Trophy.
Indian team transition likely to happen sooner rather than later
India faced the challenge of transitioning Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to the next generation of players. Recent poor performances in Test cricket, including a 0-3 home loss to New Zealand and a 1-3 defeat in Australia, have intensified discussions over the future of these two players.
Critics and pundits are wondering whether Kohli and Rohit will remain in the squad for India’s upcoming tour of England, which will mark the start of a new ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The Champions Trophy could potentially signal the end of an era for both players if they fail to deliver on their promises.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been outstanding performers in one-day cricket – Ajit Agarkar
At a press conference in Mumbai regarding the announcement of the squad for the Champions Trophy, Ajit Agarkar was asked about the transition phase for the Indian team. Agarkar confirmed that the fate of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be decided after the ICC tournament.
Agarkar acknowledged their outstanding performances in one-day cricket and stressed that the focus remains on the Champions Trophy. He added that after the tournament there would be more time to evaluate the team’s direction and plans for the future.
“It’s a month before the Champions Trophy. These guys have been outstanding players in one-day cricket… We’ll see once the Champions Trophy is over we’ll have a bit more time to sit down and assess where everyone is at. Not just one of the players, but where we’re moving forward. But right now the focus is on one-day cricket and the Champions Trophy,” said Ajit Agarkar.
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli set to play three-match ODI series against England
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play in India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against England, starting February 6 in Nagpur. Following this, India will begin their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Virat Kohli has been the highest run-scorer in the 2023 ODI World Cup, amassing 765 runs at an outstanding average of 95.62, including three centuries and six fifties. Rohit Sharma was the second highest scorer, scoring 597 runs in 11 innings at an average of 54.27 and an impressive strike rate of 125.95.
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