Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik shared his views on who could replace the legendary duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in T20Is. It was after India won the T20 World Cup 2024 that both Rohit and Kohli announced their retirements from the shortest format of the game. Their retirement has created a huge vacuum since they retired as the top two highest run-scorers in T20Is, setting high standards for the next generation.
He, however, is confident that the next line of talent is well-drilled to take it forward. He pointed towards Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and Shubman Gill as the prime contenders to fill the massive shoes vacated by Rohit and Kohli.
“First of all, they are very hard to replace, but in the XI, I do think that there are four choices at this point in time. There’s Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shubman Gill. I think Yashasvi Jaiswal will definitely be starting in the XI in T20I cricket,” Dinesh Karthik said.
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Shubman Gill, currently the vice-captain of both white-ball formats, has already been described as a star in the making for world cricket. Gill has just led India to victory in the Zimbabwe tour, winning the series 4-1, and has the highest score by any Indian in T20Is, staying unbeaten on 126 off 63 balls against New Zealand in February 2023. His leadership and batting class will earn him an A-1 in whatever is a bit more high-profile.
Dinesh Karthik reveals Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s four possible replacements#DineshKarthik #RohitSharma #ViratKohli @ITGDsports https://t.co/p0uIcQZfbs
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Ruturaj Gaikwad is yet another such talent in international cricket. He has scored 633 runs from 20 innings at an average of 39.56 and a strike rate of 143.53, with a best of 123* against the Aussies. All this does not come easy. He led a young Indian team to gold at the Asian Games 2024.
Yashasvi Jaiswal is another talent who began with a century in the Asian Games. Even though he was included in the T20 World Cup-winning squad of India, he did not get a chance to play. Along with him, 23-year-old Abhishek Sharma also made a telling impact by hitting a 46-ball hundred against Zimbabwe, pinning him as a future star.
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These young players have already given enough glimpses of their immense talent. Finally, when opportunities do come, they also sound prepared to take on the world and sustain the standards set by the predecessors: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
