Senior India batter Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been asked to take the MS Dhoni route to keep themselves in contention for a spot in the 2027 ODI World Cup squad after their poor return to international cricket on Sunday reignited the chatter around their career. Rohit managed just eight runs, while Kohli was dismissed for a duck in the opening game of the three-match ODI series against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Playing his first international game since the Champions Trophy tournament seven months back, Rohit started off with a sumptuous straight drive off Mitchell Starc, a quick ride back to the glory days. But shortly after was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood's steep rising delivery, which kissed the outside edge and travelled to debutant Matthew Renshaw at second slip.
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Kohli walked it next at the very stadium where he had scored a century in his last international appearance, in the Test format during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series last year. A persistent prod outside off-stump from Mitchell Starc exposed his old flaw, and a drive edged to Cooper Connolly at backward point ended his brief eight-ball stay. This was the 36-year-old's first dismissal for a duck in Australia.
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Following their failures, former India fast bowler Varun Aaron urged the two to drop their arrogance and confirm their availability for the upcoming domestic white-ball season, just as Dhoni had done after retiring from Test cricket in December 2014. He reminded that the legendary India captain had played the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy to keep himself in the rhythm for white-ball cricket.
{{/usCountry}}Following their failures, former India fast bowler Varun Aaron urged the two to drop their arrogance and confirm their availability for the upcoming domestic white-ball season, just as Dhoni had done after retiring from Test cricket in December 2014. He reminded that the legendary India captain had played the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy to keep himself in the rhythm for white-ball cricket.
{{/usCountry}}“Play domestic cricket. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy starts in November and then the Vijay Hazare Trophy starts in December. That’s the best way to be in touch with the game. I remember when MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket, he played a few Syed Mushaq Ali and Vijay Hazare Trophy. That’s a great way to stay in touch. I am sure both the batters are going to look at that. Now, you are not playing two formats. They are going to need match practice,” said Aaron on Star Sports.
This was a concern expressed by most experts, and even the chief of the selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, earlier this month.
Although nothing has been confirmed yet, but Kohli and Rohit are reportedly expected to play at least three matches in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy series between the ODI contests at home against South Africa and New Zealand.