West Indies all-rounder and Kolkata Knight Riders’ key player Andre Russell on 30 November suggested the Indian selectors include Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the squad for next year’s T20 World Cup, reported Hindustan Times.
To clarify his point, he said it would be utter “madness” if India picked a squad minus the duo.
Following the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023, where India lost to Australia in the final, there is still no clarity on Rohit and Kohli’s positions in India’s T20I side.
He even stated that though the young Indian players will give Kohli and Rohit a good fight, there are few better options than them when it comes to crunch situations.
ALSO READ: Virat Kohli takes ‘indefinite’ break from ODIs, T20Is; tells this to BCCI…
“I don’t know why this is a big thing (the debate on Rohit and Virat). Social media can get in the way of cricketers by questioning their potential. Rohit with the experience and Virat being Virat, it would be madness if India pick a team for the (T20) World Cup and they are not in them. Experience in World Cups is very important. You can’t send 11 young soldiers to the battlefield. You have to have experience. The young Indian players will give them a run for their money. They have been good in the chances that they have got but I think when the pressure moments come, you need big players,” Russell told Hindustan Times in an exclusive interview.
Before the T20 World Cup, India had only eight T20Is. It is most likely that India’s T20Is skipper Hardik Pandya, won’t play in any of those because of an ankle injury.
‘Rohit, Kohli in the bracket of Sachin Tendulkar’:
Without mincing his words, Russel even compared Rohit and Kohli in the bracket of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and added that they are key players if India wants to win another World Cup.
“Rohit is a big game player. Kohli loves the big stage. When a player enjoys being in such a situation, he is not nervous or tentative. I hope the board doesn’t listen to the media and decide. I would definitely give them this World Cup. Don’t treat big players like that. They have done so much for Indian cricket. They are right in that bracket of Sachin Tendulkar. So, it will be unfair to them. It will be madness if they are not picked,” he said.
Milestone Alert!Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world 🌏 Click here to know more.
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
More
Less
Updated: 30 Nov 2023, 03:57 PM IST
