Former India captain Kapil Dev didn’t comment on a query on the T20I future of star Indian batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He added that the decision must be left to the selectors as well. However, Kohli and Rohit are the two leading run-getters in the T20I format. While the former has managed 4008 runs from 115 matches at an average of 52.73 and a strike rate of 137.96, Rohit Sharma has scored 3853 runs in 148 games, averaging 31.32 at a strike rate of 139.24 as well.
Speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural tee-off ceremony of the Kapil Dev Grant Thornton Invitational golf tournament in Gurugram, he was quoted as saying by PTI: “This is selectors job and we should leave it to them. It is not good to comment on everything. They are responsible and what they feel good, they should do.”
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However, Kohli and Rohit were the top two run-getters in the ODI World Cup, which took place in India earlier this month. The former finished the tournament with a whopping 765 runs in 11 innings, which included three tons and six fifties. Rohit hit 597 runs in 11 innings at an average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.95. While they have not played a lot of T20Is recently, a number of former cricketers have backed them for the 2024 T20 World Cup as well.
“They (India) won 10 matches in a row. Is it not enough? We should look at other teams as well. We shouldn’t compare anyone. What is important is to see whether they played good cricket or not. We played very good cricket. Final day was not ours so be it. We should look at performance of other teams as well like, South Africa, England who were the defending champions, they finished last (seventh),” Kapil Dev again shared.
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However, he has applauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gesture of visiting the Indian dressing room and consoling the players after their defeat in the 2023 World Cup final to Australia. Notably, India suffered a heartbreaking loss to Australia in the summit clash of the 2023 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19.
“If the Prime Minister doesn’t encourage, who will? He is the No.1 man in the country and if he supports, it feels good,” Kapil Dev concluded.
