Mohammad Kaif, a former Indian cricketer, believes that Indian cricket does not appreciate or respect experience and is constantly eager to switch to younger players in all formats.
Questions about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli surfaced once more following their subpar batting performances in the first ODI against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Tuesday, July 14. Jofra Archer trapped Virat Kohli LBW for just five runs, while Rohit Sharma produced a slow 21-ball 11 before being dismissed by Sam Curran.
Legendary football players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still the mainstays for their respective national teams and are respected by both the team and the supporters, according to Mohammad Kaif.
He did note, though, that the same reverence does not apply to cricket because the issue of moving on is raised once players reach a particular point.
"A wrong trend is going on, where the core principle is to bring youth because they are hitting sixes. But a good and successful team has a blend of youth and experience. If you look at Ronaldo and Messi, they are around the 40-year-old mark and still playing for their country in a fast-paced game. If they are fit and have the skill set, then why are we after age so much in cricket? Especially in India," Mohammad Kaif said on Cricbuzz.
Rohit Sharma, in particular, is under some pressure, given he has scored only one fifty in his last seven ODI innings. This series could be very crucial for India’s plans going forward, given that Yashasvi Jaiswal waits in the wings, having scored two centuries in his last three ODIs.
Liam Dawson, a 36-year-old all-rounder who batted at No. 8 with fellow veteran Joe Root, saved England's innings, according to Kaif. Before the two put up a 121-run partnership to save the team, the hosts were down 107-6. Liam Dawson's highest ODI score was 68 runs off 83 deliveries.
"If you take the example of Rohit Sharma, people say that he is already 39 years old and the World Cup is far away, so let's move on. Even in England's innings, you could see Dawson's experience in the way he read and handled the situation. He must have been in a similar situation in County cricket so many times before. If a player has dropped his fitness and is not scoring runs with age, then you can drop him, sure. But if he is ticking all of the boxes, forget the age and just focus on the performances," Kaif concluded.
Team India will face England in the second ODI of the series at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Thursday, July 16.
