Former Indian Maestro Sunil Gabascal shouted that the availability of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for Australia’s ODI is driven by the agenda that the same opposition India lost in the 2023 World Cup final.
India will tour Australia with a three-match ODI series starting October 19th, followed by a five-match T20I series, which is scheduled to begin on October 29th. The series marks preparations for the ICC World Cup 2027 in South Africa, but Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were named to the team by BCCI Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar.
Sunil Gavaskar has looked at the agenda of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli behind ODI availability
Sunil Gavaskar strongly believed that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had made themselves available as they were in a series with Australia. The Australians were the only opposition that India lost in the previous edition of the 2023 World Cup.
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He added that if the series had opposed West Indies and Minnows like Zimbabwe, the two would not be able to use themselves and the rift would have continued.
“I am sure that if this was a trip to Zimbabwe or the West Indies, neither would have been available, but this is in Australia and India lost to Australia in the World Cup final, which is why they both decided.
“It depends heavily on the number of matches played by India in a day,” Gavaskar cites Ro-Ko’s World Cup selection criteria.
Even the Indian batting legend has admitted that the path to World Cup choice is extremely difficult for both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. This is because he retired from the other two forms of the game, and the choices depend heavily on game time.
“This depends heavily on the number of matches in a day that India will play in the coming years.
“In these eight whiteball games, there are probably five T20s and three ODIs. That doesn’t give much to players approaching the latter stage of their careers when it comes to exposure and practice,” he added.
Sunil Gabaskar also asks Indian legends to perform in the Vijay Hazare trophy
In collaboration with the views of India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Sunil Gavaskar highlighted the need for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to be made available for future editions of the Vijay Hazare trophy. This is essential to keeping the World Cup dreams alive as India has a very limited international schedule in the 50-over format.
“They should play the Vijay Hazare trophy in India whenever they are scheduled, unless they clash with international ODI tournaments. That’s one way to keep the trim and maintain match practice,” he said.
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