Indian Legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Named in Squad for Australia Tour Under New Captain Shubman Gill; Vengsarkar Questions Selection
The Indian team, led by new captain Shubman Gill, has selected veteran cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the forthcoming tour of Australia. Both players have been out of competitive cricket for more than 100 days, which raises concerns about their form and match fitness, so their selection has generated controversy.
Also Read: Glenn Maxwell Breaks Arm in Nets, Doubtful for India T20Is
Vengsarkar Slams Selection Based on Reputation Over Form
Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar expressed his dissatisfaction with their inclusion, suggesting that the decision was based more on reputation than recent performance..
“Rohit and Virat have been great players over the years, but if you're playing just one format, the selectors need to take a call. After such a long layoff, it’s difficult to assess their form and fitness,” Vengsarkar told Mid-Day.
He further emphasized that with both players largely inactive in Test cricket and T20Is, and ODIs being played infrequently, it's nearly impossible to evaluate their current readiness for international competition.
“They've likely been picked based on their stellar records. Yes, they’ve done yeoman service to Indian cricket, winning matches across formats. But without regular game time in Tests and T20s, judging their fitness and form becomes difficult. If the selectors have evaluated them, I don’t know how,” he added.
Also Read: IND vs AUS: Big boost for Australia as Mitchell Starc returns for India ODIs
2027 World Cup Participation Still Uncertain for Rohit and Virat
Vengsarkar also raised a broader concern about the future direction of Indian cricket and whether the team should continue relying on senior players like Rohit and Virat through to the 2027 World Cup.
“It’s really up to the selectors to decide whether they want to stick with Rohit and Virat or look ahead and give opportunities to players available across all formats. It depends on how they envision Indian cricket going forward,” he concluded.
Notably, both Rohit and Virat have remained non-committal about their availability for the 2027 World Cup, and even if they do decide to continue, their selection will be based purely on merit.
Also Read: Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana to Have Stadium Stands Named After Them in Vizag
