Jonty Rhodes, former South African cricketer, has stressed the importance of having veteran players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the India squad, which will be a huge plus for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2027. The ICC event will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in October-November next year.
As India begins its road to the 2027 World Cup, the spot of Rohit Sharma in the India squad is still up in the air. The committee may not be entirely persuaded to include the seasoned opener in the World Cup plans, according to a number of publications published in recent months.
But Rohit hasn't given them any cause to question his form. He silenced rumors about his future with a stunning century during his last ODI on India's England tour.
The experienced opener's World Cup experience should be taken into consideration by India when determining his future, according to former South African great Jonty Rhodes, who highlights the mental strain of competing in a high-pressure event.
"You have got to remember that having experience at a World Cup is another factor that we don't factor in. We look at the talent of the players, the ability that they have got, and their performances. Maybe they have had a great knock and had a good season. But when it comes down to pressure moments, a World Cup is very much high pressure," Rhodes told JioStar.
"Players can look after themselves physically, but that mental strength is something that we do not often factor in when it comes to selection. But as somebody who has played in four Cricket World Cups without getting past two semi-finals, I know how stressful it can become. So having someone like Rohit Sharma in your squad is such an asset at a World Cup," he added.
Another player who only plays ODIs for India but has less scrutiny on his spot than Virat Kohli. Jonty Rhodes believes that Kohli’s intense hunger for runs sets him apart. Rhodes even underlined Kohli's aggressiveness, competitiveness, and capacity for taking accountability under duress, drawing comparisons to Australia's winning mindset.
"We have watched Australia win so many World Cups and seen their aggression and the expectation to win almost. And I think that is what Virat has been. He has had this absolute hunger to win games for his team. When you are the leader and the captain of a setup, and you can consistently be the best chaser in the world, it just shows how determined you are to be the guy that gets the team over the line.
When he chases down scores for such a long period of time, he has been the ultimate finisher of the game for India. From that perspective, he feeds off that aggression. He does not mind when he's batting. A lot of players do not want to lose their concentration. If he is batting, he will get stuck in as well. So, he is certainly somebody who loves the contest and loves the fight. He just has such a huge drive to win games for India, and whether he's captain or not, he'll still have that drive. He just wants India to win," Rhodes added.
India’s next ODI assignment will be at home against the West Indies.
(JioStar inputs)
