In this regard, former Indian star Harbhajan Singh believes both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will have a really long career in international cricket. He goes on to add that the kind of fitness standards Kohli has maintained, he can easily play at the top level for another five years despite his age. Rohit Sharma, currently captain in both Tests and ODIs, according to him, has at least two more years left in his tank.
In an exclusive interview with PTI Videos, he said about Kohli's exquisite fitness and added, "Rohit can easily play for another two years. As for Virat Kohli, his fitness is so outstanding that he could keep playing for five more years. He is likely the fittest player on the team." He went on to add that Kohli's fitness would outrun a 19-year-old competitor—"Virat's fitness level is exceptional.". He and Rohit have a lot of cricket left in them. How long they continue playing depends on fitness, performance, and the team's success. If they can tick those boxes, why not", he added.
Harbhajan said experience plays a huge role in Test cricket, and both Kohli and Rohit are needed for the game. "Experience matters in every format; especially in Test cricket". They are seasoned players we need to guide and mentor emerging talent," he said. He also called for selectors to make decisions purely based on performance and not on experience. "Selectors should drop players who are not performing, whether they are seniors or juniors. As long as players are fit and contributing they should be in the team. "If they're not delivering, maybe time to bring in the younger players," Harbhajan said.
He agreed that youngsters generally have more drive, ambition, and also went ahead and mentioned the exciting talent of Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill. "Young players generally have more hunger and enthusiasm as compared to people who have played for years," he said.
He further dimmed India's loss to 0-2 against Sri Lanka in the ODI series, calling it one of the unpredictable features of sport. "Losses are a part of the game. All teams go through such phases. Sri Lanka played outstandingly well and deserved their victory," he said.
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