Amid reports suggesting that Rohit Sharma may step away from T20 Internationals, former India opener Gautam Gambhir expressed his desire to see both Rohit and Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup slated for June 2024 in the West Indies and the United States.
Gambhir emphasized the need for both Rohit and Virat Kohli to be selected for the T20 World Cup, advocating for Rohit as the captain, not Hardik Pandya. Speaking at a panel discussion of Sportskeeda, Gambhir stated, "I want to see Rohit Sharma as captain in the T20 World Cup. Rohit is a phenomenal leader; he has proved that with his leadership and batting in this ODI World Cup. If you are picking Rohit, then he should be selected as a captain who can bat. And Virat also should be an automatic choice."
Backing Gambhir's sentiments, legendary Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram concurred, emphasizing the importance of experience in T20s. Akram stated, "There are barely six months to go for the T20 World Cup. I will pick both Rohit and Kohli. They are the main players for the team. You need a bit of experience even in T20s; you can't build a team with only youngsters."
According to reports, a senior BCCI official revealed that Rohit Sharma had volunteered to stay away from T20Is, a decision made during discussions with chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar. Rohit hasn't played any T20Is since India's T20 World Cup semi-final exit in November 2022, with Hardik Pandya leading the Indian team in T20Is during this period.
Rohit Sharma's T20I career boasts 148 matches, accumulating 3853 runs at a striking rate of nearly 140, including four centuries. While the senior BCCI official noted that it was Rohit's call to stay away from T20Is, there remains the possibility of reconsideration if younger players fail to perform.
