Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are yet to play a T20I since the T20 World Cup last year.
In fact, Rohit and Virat Kohli are yet to play a T20I since the T20 World Cup last year. The BCCI is yet to make an official statement on their shortest format future, but there are reports claiming the selectors have left the decision on the two batting superstars themselves.
With another T20 World Cup scheduled in a little over six months’ time, it would be interesting to see whether the Indian team goes into the marquee event with young guns or prefers to go with seasoned campaigners like Rohit and Kohli.
Meanwhile, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has opined that India won't get a better opener than Rohit and that both he and Kohli have a lot of cricket left in them.
"If you ask do Rohit and Kohli have cricket left in them? Yes, definitely. Do you get a better opener than Rohit in the world right now? No, you don't," Akhtar told Zee News.
According to Shoaib, if the transition happens then it should be Hardik's responsibility to make them phase out respectfully.
Akhtar cited the example of how Dhoni dealt with Sachin Tendulkar or how Kohli handled Dhoni after taking charge as captain.
"When Dhoni came, he gave respect to Sachin Tendulkar. When Virat came, he respected Dhoni. When Rohit replaced Virat, he also gave him respect. So, now it's up to Hardik Pandya how he wants to send these two great players off. It's up to him now to put his foot down. And he has to bid them goodbye respectfully. They deserve this respect. I'm maybe putting pressure on Hardik Pandya through this but he needs to give that respect to Rohit and Kohli. He is in the team because of them. The kind of favours he has got in the team from them should be repaid. And they are legends of Indian cricket, so they should be given due respect before they are let go," he elaborated.
Currently, Hardik Pandya is recovering from the ankle injury he sustained during the World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh last month. As a result, Suryakumar Yadav – India's designated vice-captain in T20Is – is leading the team in the ongoing five-match T20I series against Australia at home.
With Hardik unlikely to regain fitness in time, Suryakumar is likely to remain captain for the South Africa T20Is, starting December 10 in Durban.