Australian legend Ricky Ponting feels Indian superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are doing all they can to last till the ODI Wold Cup in South Africa in October-November 2027. Having retired from Tests last year, the former India captains are one format players. Outside 50-over cricket, majority of their game time comes from the IPL. While Kohli has redefined his consistency levels in the IPL, Rohit too has done alright despite being held back by a hamstring injury. Ponting, who captained Australia to two ODI World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007, said one can never write off champions like Kohli and Rohit.
“I can see them pushing ahead and trying to get there. One thing I’ve always said about champion players is you never say no. You never write them off,” Ponting, the head coach of Punjab Kings in the IPL, told PTI.
“Virat’s been a good example of that again through this IPL. He’s not playing as much international cricket as he once was, but that determination and want to win is still there. Rohit Sharma has turned up at this IPL in better physical condition than I’ve seen him probably in about 10 or 12 years. “So the passion is still there for those guys to push on and make themselves the best players they can be. So like I said, you never say never,” added the Australian icon.
With 542 runs in 13 games including a hundred, Kohli is among the leading run getters in the tournament. Since his comeback from hamstring injury, Rohit has been featuring in the Mumbai Indians side as an impact player. In eight games, he has made 283 runs including two half centuries. Both Kohli and Rohit have been batting at a strike rate of 160 plus.
On Tuesday, Kohli and Rohit were named in India’s squad for the three match series against Afghanistan beginning on June 14. Rohit was included in the squad subject to fitness as he has had an issue with his hamstring.
The Indian team selectors will take a call on their selection for the ODI World Cup closer to the competition, considering their fitness and form at the time.
“It is too early to say that they would play in the World Cup. It is still a long way off,” said a BCCI source. PTI.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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