Former India cricketer Ajinkya Rahane has stressed the importance of the presence of veteran batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the Indian ODI side, saying that it is vital for youngsters to learn as much as they can from the duo by talking to them.
Rohit and Kohli will be in action as India takes on New Zealand in a five-match ODI series, starting on November 4 in Auckland. While Rohit is expected to open the batting with Shubman Gill, Kohli is likely to bat at No. 3.
"You get to learn many things. You learn how to handle every situation. You learn how to take success and failure. Many times, the situation keeps changing in ODI cricket. So how do you tackle that? Both have such vast experience. They have played so many matches.
They have been playing for so many years. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have seen everything. No matter how much you learn, it's less. You need to ask questions as youngsters. Many times, you don't talk in the middle of the match but go to both of them and ask questions, and you will get to learn a lot," Rahane said on Sony Sports about the importance of Rohit and Kohli in the Indian ODI team.
Rohit Sharma’s total runs in 283 ODI innings are 12,120 at an average of 49.26, with 35 centuries and 63 fifties. On the other hand, Virat Kohli has scored 15,109 in 319 ODIs at an average of 58.78. Kohli has hit 55 centuries and 79 fifties.
According to Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have put their critics to silence with their performance. He further said that the presence of the former Indian captains will help Shubman Gill.
"I am extremely excited to see both of them. The excitement used to be the same when we used to play together, the way they used to bat. Given the talk that was happening off the field recently, they have shown why they are such great players.
They have shown the class they have. They have scored runs, but the attitude and passion with which they play even now, both of them remaining on the team, is extremely advantageous for the youngsters and for captain Shubman Gill," Rahane stated.
Rohit Sharma has accumulated 437 runs with an average of 36.41 in 13 ODI innings in New Zealand. Virat Kohli has made 596 runs with an average of 49.67 in 13 ODI innings in New Zealand.
