Cricket icon Sunil Gavaskar recently made headlines with his bold endorsement of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and batting sensation Virat Kohli for the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2024. Gavaskar’s insightful remarks shed light on the enduring zeal of these players, focusing not only on their exceptional batting skills but also their crucial fielding capabilities. Gavaskar commenced by lauding Virat Kohli’s outstanding performance in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, where India reached the final but narrowly missed clinching the title. Highlighting Kohli’s remarkable form in the last 1.5 years, especially in the 2023 World Cup with 750 runs and three centuries, Gavaskar emphasized that Kohli and Rohit Sharma remain exceptional fielders, adding immense value to the team beyond their batting prowess.
Sunil Gavaskar said “Virat Kohli’s form has been outstanding for the last 1.5 years – he had a brilliant ODI World Cup so there shouldn’t be any debate over his batting prowess in limited overs”. [Star Sports – Talking about T20 WC team] pic.twitter.com/ySqs95ZcvZ
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Speaking exclusively on Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar reflects on the role of the 2007 World Cup win in the emergence of T20 cricket and the subsequent success of the IPL, “I was present at the 2007 T20 World Cup, and it was one of the most exciting times. I’ve seen MS Dhoni and Irfan Pathan playing on the field and winning for India. Clearly, from there, the craze for T20 boomed in India. Before that, nobody was very well-versed with this format. That win of India helped IPL as well to take off in India,”.
Gavaskar’s Endorsement for T20 World Cup
Despite Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli not featuring in T20 Internationals since India’s 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal loss, Gavaskar passionately endorsed their inclusion for the T20 World Cup 2024. He stressed the importance of their experience and fielding skills, asserting that their contributions would go beyond the confines of the dressing room, significantly impacting the team’s performance on the field.
“Kohli’s form has been outstanding in the last 1.5 years. He played unbelievably in the 2023 World Cup, making 750 runs with 3 centuries. So there is no doubt about his limited-overs batting. But what makes me feel good is their fielding capacity. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are still great fielders and will be of great help on the field,” concludes Sunil Gavaskar as he speak on Star Sports on the continued prowess of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, especially highlighting their fielding skills.
Rohit’s Absence and Leadership Impact
While Rohit Sharma has been absent from recent T20Is, Gavaskar acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding his captaincy. However, he highlighted Rohit’s unquestionable value, both as a leader and a seasoned player. Regardless of the captaincy decision, Gavaskar believes Rohit’s experience will be a tremendous asset, benefiting any captain chosen for the role.
Irfan Pathan’s Concurrence
Former India pacer Irfan Pathan echoed Gavaskar’s sentiments, expressing his support for Rohit and Kohli’s inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad. Pathan emphasized the crucial role their experience would play on unfamiliar pitches in the USA and the West Indies. He expressed eagerness to witness both players on the field, especially considering their outstanding performances in recent IPL and T20 tournaments.
Irfan Pathan while speaking exclusively on Star Sports, expresses on the importance of experienced players in unfamiliar conditions, “Personally, I would like to see Virat on the pitch because when we talk about two years back, definitely he was not in his best form. But the last IPL and T20 were one of the most amazing tournaments for him. Also, when you are playing in countries like West Indies and the USA, there are quite a few unknown pitches, and here you will need experienced players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both on and off the field,”
“The playing of both the players also depends upon team management and their fitness, but I would love seeing both of them on the field, especially when Rohit has also changed his form and has been making a lot of runs in One Day Cricket,” adds Pathan.
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