The legendary Yuvraj Singh has backed the duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to keep playing cricket until they want to rather than thinking about their age. He feels both the players are fit enough to be performing at the top level. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the op performers for Team India in ICC events over the years.
Virat Kohli has won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and both Rohit and Virat have won the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 under MS Dhoni’s leadership. There have been a lot of talks about both of them retiring soon. Both Virat and Rohit have missed all T20 games for Team India post the 2022 World Cup giving signs of giving up the T20 format until coming back in the Afghanistan series before the Indian Premier League.
There have been questions raised on Virat Kohli’s form and strike rate in the shorter format and his participation in the T20 World Cup. Until now Virat Kohli has silenced all his critics by being the top run scorer in the Indian Premier League.
Yuvraj Singh urges Virat and Rohit to quit T20I’s post World Cup
Speaking to the ICC, Yuvraj Singh backed both Kohli and Rohit to play as long as they want but to quit the shorter format post World Cup. He said :
“As you get older people start talking about your age and they forget about your form. These guys have been great players for India and they deserve to go (retire) when they want,” said Yuvraj.Singh.
“I would like to see more younger players in the T20 format, because it gets the load off them (experienced players) playing 50-over (ODIs) and Test matches. After this (T20) World Cup I would like to see a lot of younger guys come into the team and make the T20 side for the next World Cup,” he added.
Yuvraj Singh wants to take the load off Rohit and Virat so that they can concentrate in the other tow formats and give their best in it both mentally and physically.
Suryakumar Yadav will be the key- Yuvraj Singh
Recently, Yuvraj Singh was named the Brand Ambassador of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He said Suryakumar Yadav will be a key player for Team India in the upcoming World Cup and he also wanted to see a leg-spinner like Yuzvendra Chahal in the World Cup. He said :
“Suryakumar Yadav (is India’s key player). Because the way he plays, he can change the complexion of a game in 15 balls. And he is definitely a surety…for India to win this T20 World Cup, Surya is going to be the key. I think Jasprit Bumrah is also the key with the bowling and I would like to see a leg-spinner in the squad as well, like Yuzvendra Chahal as he has been bowling really well,” stated Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh had played a pivotal role in Team India’s Triumph in their first T20 World Cup win South Africa in 2007. His famous six sixes in an over too Stuart Broad is still fresh in the memories of the fans all over the world. However after that Team India has found it difficult to win the T20 World Cup.
No point picking up Dinesh Kartik if he is not in Playing 11
Yuvraj Singh feels that selectors must only pick Dinesh Karthik if he is going to start every match for Team India in the World Cup. There no point picking him up and making him sit on the bench. Dinesh Karthik last played for Team India in the 2022 World Cup where he failed to impress.
However in the ongoing IPL, he has scored averaging 52 with a strike rate of 195.52 which is breathtaking.
Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson as options for wicketkeeping- Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh has backed Pant and Samson as wicketkeeping options for the World Cup. He said :
“DK (Karthik) has been batting well, but the thing with DK is the last time (2022) they picked him and the T20 WC was on he didn’t get to play. If DK is not in your XI I don’t think there is any point in picking him. There is Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson and both guys are in great form and obviously they are younger. I would like to see DK in the mix, but if he is not going to play then you would rather have someone who is younger and can make the difference,” said Yuvraj Singh.
Both Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson have had a decent IPL until now, it will interesting to see their approach in the remainder of the IPL considering the World Cup in their mind.
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