'The Fitness Of Players...': Kapil Dev Opines On The Cricketing Future Of Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma
Former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev, who is also the first-ever World Cup-winning captain of India, is worried about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He hinted that those two match-winners might have passed their prime. Kapil hung his boots when he was 35 years old.
Future Of Player Completely Dependent On Fitness
According to Kapil, the future of a player after crossing 34 mainly depends on the physical ability to sustain themselves in field. Kohli, 35, and Rohit, 36, have guided India to a T20 World Cup triumph last year and are now aiming for glory at the Champions Trophy next year, and possibly, in the World Test Championship final if India qualifies.
At this stage, both the players are fit as a fiddle for their age, with Rohit's matured batsmanship yielding riches. Kohli, considered the fittest cricketer in the world, has been going all right and has been generally composed with the bat. The last month or so has not been the best for him, but he was not that long ago producing one of his finest half-centuries in South Africa.
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"In my opinion, the period between 26 and 34 years is your prime, and thereafter, the fitness of the players will ensure their longevity," Kapil was quoted as saying on MyKhel.
Kapil Dev On Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli's Future In Cricket
Sachin Tendulkar played until he was 40 years of age and MS Dhoni, being 39 during their current World Cup became a retired man. Considering that Kohli and Rohit have taken a step back from one format already, not to mention it would not be wrong at all to, sooner than later, speculate over the possibility of their showing up in the next World Cup. Of course, this would demand quite a lot from the cricketers-possibly pressing the limits for Kohli and Rohit-but, still, very much within the realms of possibilities. However, when asked about when Kohli and Rohit should retire, Kapil responded with a statement that said it is a decision of the duo and that no one understands their situation better than they do.
"Ravi Shastri retired at a very early age while Sachin Tendulkar had a longer stint. So it is completely up to the individual to decide their ways of life. My way of thinking is to stay fit and keep playing as long as you are enjoying the game," added Kapil.
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Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are stalwarts of Indian cricket and have stellar records registered to their names.
Rohit Sharma
Tests- 4148 runs in 103 innings
ODIs- 10866 runs in 257 innings
T20Is- 4231 runs in 151 innings
Virat Kohli
Tests- 8871 runs in 193 innings
ODIs- 13906 runs in 283 innings
T20Is- 4188 runs in 117 innings
