Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara stated that he had no advice to give to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli amidst the chatter about them playing only one international format for India. Kohli and Rohit had retired from T20Is in 2024 and then from Tests in May this year.
This leaves both the white-ball giants playing only in ODIs and the IPL. Maintaining elite-level fitness will be Rohit and Kohli's top priority because the next ODI World Cup is still two years away and there aren't many One-Day Internationals in India's FTP (Future Tours Programme), especially when they're competing against a lot of young players who are vying for spots on the Indian team.
Both Rohit and Kohli "are experienced enough to understand what is expected of them," according to star Indian Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who earlier this month declared his retirement from all international cricket competitions. He stated he does not feel the need to provide them with advice.
“I don’t need to give any advice because they are some of the best players in white-ball cricket. Even if they are playing just one format, they are experienced enough to know what is expected of them. They are such talented players. Look at the records Virat and Rohit have. They also know when the right time is for them to call it quits. They understand the level of commitment required, and if they are fit enough, they can carry on playing international cricket for a long time,” Pujara told the Indian Express.
India has won the ICC Champions Trophy the T20 World Cup under Rohit and Kohli in the last 12 months. Before the year ends, India will only play six more ODIs. India will travel to Australia for a white-ball tour that includes three ODIs and five T20Is. Then South Africa will tour India for a series of two Test matches, three ODIs, and five T20Is.
Pujara also voiced his support for the BCCI’s mandate requiring players to participate in domestic cricket when not on national duty.
“It’s important for players to play domestic cricket. It raises the standard of the competition. When top players participate, it brings a lot of motivation, and young domestic players can learn a great deal. At the same time, the workload needs to be managed. If you are a multi-format player, you can’t participate in every game, but you need to identify if there is a Test series coming up.
For that preparation alone, if someone can manage to play one or two games, that would be ideal. As for batsmen, they should play as many domestic games as possible,” added Pujara.
However, Pujara stated that the rule could have exceptions for fast bowlers, noting that someone like Jasprit Bumrah cannot be expected to play domestic cricket due to his injury history and workload management.
“It might be slightly different for bowlers. Someone like Jasprit Bumrah needs to manage his workload and can’t be expected to play domestic cricket. But if a young fast bowler is trying to develop his skills in red-ball cricket, he should play as many matches as possible. The team management and coaching staff at the NCA should sit together and figure out a roadmap for every player,” said Pujara.
(Indian Express inputs)
