Legendary Kapil Dev said that even legends like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are not a “certainty” in the Indian team, but they should be given a chance as long as they are performing. Rohit, 39, and Kohli, 37, are at the fag end of their stunning careers, but Rohit found himself in a pressure situation after two low outings against England in the ongoing three-match ODI series as well.

“Certainty is never ever applied to anybody. Whoever keeps performing, keeps playing. It doesn’t matter (who he is). I would say, you keep watching the performance and let them play as much as they can,” Kapil told PTI during an interaction at the Kapil Dev Sunil Gupta Hospital here. “Even Sachin Tendulkar had a lot of cricket left in him (when he retired). Let the selectors do that job. I’m not going to say who’s dropped. It’s the selectors’ and the team management’s job. I’m assessing after watching television, so it’s easy to talk about that. Let’s give the responsibility to the management and to the selectors to pick the best team. If they lose, we should stand by them.”

However, Kapil Dev also said that the fans to enjoy whatever little is left in the careers of these veterans as well.

“He (Rohit) is not 20 years old. He is almost 40, and everybody has to retire. But the amount of happiness he has given to everybody—not just Indian people, but everybody around the world — hats off to him. What he has given us for so many years, we should be proud of that. And as much as he can play, or as the selectors or captain think, he should play,” he further added.

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The veteran also urged the selectors to pick a team that can win matches for India, go beyond the factors like age etc.

“Transition is the method they want to use. It’s ok, doesn’t matter, let them. Tomorrow a new boy will come and he will take over. We just have to sit back, watch, and enjoy ourselves. I think it’s taking time, but we have so much talent. They have to focus on who’s going to play. Don’t try to make too many shifts. Winning is the most important. If anybody is good, don’t go by his age, don’t go by his stature. You just have to pick a team that can win for India,” he added.

Kapil Dev also said teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should be given time, considering that he is just a 15-year-old, to mature and meet his potential as well.

“I don’t want to talk about him too much. He has the talent and just give him the opportunity. We’ve seen that talent, rest he has to work very hard. A 15-year-old boy is a 15-year-old. But let him grow with his ability and talent,” he stated.

“I think after they played so well for the last 3-4 years, I never expected it to be as bad as that, but it happens. It’s a cycle — (performance) goes up, comes down. Other teams try to catch up, and I think this is a new beginning for the Indian cricket team. My heart is always with the Indian team. I hope they win all the matches. But they have to perform, they have to play well to win,” Kapil Dev concluded.