Virat Kohli, one of the greatest batsmen of the modern era, has been absent from domestic cricket for a significant period of time. The last time Virat Kohli played a domestic List A game was in February 2010, almost 14 years ago. This is a surprising fact considering the importance of domestic cricket in the development and maintenance of a cricketer’s skills.
Virat Kohli’s absence from domestic cricket can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, as a senior member of the Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli has a busy international schedule. The Indian cricket team plays a lot of cricket throughout the year, and Virat Kohli is an integral part of the team. This leaves him with little time to participate in domestic cricket.
Virat Kohli a key figure in Indian cricket history as an inspiration
Virat Kohli is a top-ranked batsman in international cricket. He is the number one ranked batsman in ODIs and is among the top five in Tests. This high ranking comes with a lot of responsibilities and expectations. Virat Kohli is expected to perform consistently at the highest level, and this requires a lot of focus and preparation. Playing domestic cricket might distract him from his international duties.
Virat Kohli has been captaining the Indian cricket team for several years now. Captaining a team is a demanding job that requires a lot of time and energy. Virat Kohli has to manage the team, make strategic decisions, and lead by example. This leaves him with little time to focus on his own game and participate in domestic cricket.
However, Kohli’s absence from domestic cricket has its disadvantages. Domestic cricket provides a platform for players to hone their skills, experiment with new techniques, and regain form. It also provides an opportunity for players to prove their fitness and form to the selectors. Kohli’s absence from domestic cricket might have deprived him of these opportunities.
Moreover, playing domestic cricket would have allowed Kohli to share his experience and knowledge with the younger players. Domestic cricket is a breeding ground for future stars, and Kohli’s presence would have been beneficial for the development of these players.
With India suffering a 2-0 series defeat to Sri Lanka, Harbhajan Singh shared his views about the future of India greats – Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Harbhajan Singh feels that with extreme fitness Virat Kohli can compete for 5 more years in cricket
Was the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup the last dance for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma!!! . Only in the shortest format of the game as the two behemoths have now prioritized the traditional formats after ending India’s long wait for an ICC title. While Rohit marshalled his troops in the final, Virat Kohli regained top form to play a majestic knock against South Africa to seal India’s second T20 World Cup crown in the Caribbean.
Returning to the fold after a triumphant campaign at the T20 World Cup, Rohit and Virat Kohli headlined India’s squad for the One Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka. The batting icons have recorded contrasting outings in the Gautam Gambhir era. Captain Rohit Sharma finished the series as the leading run-getter while Virat Kohli averaged only 19.33 in the three ODIs against Sri Lanka. India will only play three more ODIs before next year’s ICC Champions Trophy.
Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh predicted ace batter Virat Kohli to compete at a high level for another five years. At 35, Virat Kohli is still going strong, finishing as the leading run-scorer in IPL 2024 and won the Player of the Tournament in the recent T20 World Cup final.
Harbhajan also feels Indian skipper Rohit Sharma could play for another two years despite being 37.
In an interview with the PTI, he said:
“Rohit can easily play for two more years. You never know with Virat Kohli’s fitness, you can see him competing for five years. He is probably the fittest guy in the team. You ask any 19-year-old competing with Virat . Virat will beat him. He is that fit. I believe Virat and Rohit have a lot of cricket left in them and it is entirely up to them. If they are fit enough, they are performing and the team is winning, they should continue to play.”
While the duo retired from T20Is after the World Cup win in the West Indies, they remain the focal point of the Indian batting lineup in the other two formats.
“Red ball cricket, you really need these two guys to play a little bit more than what people are asking. You need experience in all formats whether its limited overs cricket and Test cricket. You need experienced cricketers to nurture the talent that is coming up. And if they are not contributing in any manner, whether its fitness or number of runs, then the time has come. They should be making way for the youngsters,” added Harbhajan.
However, the former World Cup winner added that youngsters generally possess more hunger and drive than the senior players.
“I always believe that youngsters have much more hunger than the seniors. If you play for 15 years your hunger a little bit comes down. Great to see Riyan Parag getting the opportunities and the way Yashaswi Jaiswal is coming up and Shubman Gill is playing,” stated Harbhajan.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be in action for India next when they take on Bangladesh in the home Test series, starting September 19.