People may call for India cricket team’s senior statesmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to retire, but are replacements present to fill their boots? Former Australian head coach Darren Lehmann thinks there are. At 37 and 36, respectively, both the star batters are nearing the end of their careers. It’s uncertain whether either of them will leave Test cricket after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, which ends on January 7 in Sydney. But the focus will be on them.
“Look, whenever they decide to give it away and whatever happens in the next few days, they have been great players for India over a long period of time,” Lehmann told PTI while praising them.
Replacements ready for Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma?
Just this series, we have seen players who can take the team forward not just next year or the year after but for a decade or even more and take over from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Yashasvi Jaiswal is the second-highest scorer of the India vs Australia Test series and has shined when others have faltered. KL Rahul isn’t a spring chicken but can be of service for the next couple of years. Shubman Gill may have been rested, but at 25, he already has experience of playing in England, South Africa, Australia, and West Indies.
You have Rishabh Pant, who at 27 is one of the greatest wicketkeeper batters in Test history. Nitish Kumar Reddy is just 21 and hit his maiden Test century in his fourth match while batting at number 8; Washington Sundar is ready to take over Ravichandran Ashwin, and then you have a pace battery led by Jasprit Bumrah.
“Now actually we see younger players starting to step up for India and play well at the next level. There is so much depth in Indian cricket I won’t worry too much. Whenever these two guys decide to retire, there are so many talented youngsters that Indian cricket will be in good stead,” Lehmann added.
Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma’s Test record
| Matches | Runs | Average | 50s | 100s | Highest Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 122 | 9207 | 47.21 | 30 | 31 | 254* |
| Rohit Sharma | 67 | 4301 | 40.57 | 12 | 18 | 212 |
