'You get slow when you turn 35-36, but...': Gavaskar makes unique 'fielding' case for Rohit, Kohli's T20I return

Sunil Gavaskar spoke in detail about why Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should return to fold in the shortest format.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced this year's upcoming T20 World Cup schedule on Friday. India, like in their previous two World Cup campaigns, have been grouped with Pakistan again; the Asian giants have a reasonably straightforward group and will prime themselves for a spot in the Super 8s. Their opponents in Group A will be Ireland, Canada, and the United States. As the teams build up towards the 20-team World Cup, the cricketing fraternity in India is amid a significant discussion regarding the potential comeback of two batting icons to the T20 format: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

Rohit Sharma (L) and Virat Kohli during the T20 World Cup 2022(ANI)

The pair's last appearance for India was in the 2022 T20 World Cup, where the team experienced a semi-final exit. Subsequently, Hardik Pandya assumed the captaincy, albeit without a formal announcement for the T20Is. Rohit Sharma's prolonged absence made Hardik the likely leader for the upcoming T20 World Cup. However, Rohit's potential return has reignited the captaincy discussions.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, however, believes that it is paramount for Rohit and Kohli to make a return to the format for the World Cup. Gavaskar stated that besides their batting prowess, the duo remains brilliant on the field, adding further firepower.

"Virat Kohli's form has been outstanding for the past 1.5 years. He also played brilliantly at the ODI World Cup. So, there should not be any debate over his batting prowess in limited-overs cricket. A massive aspect is that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are still excellent fielders," Gavaskar told Star Sports during the T20 World Cup schedule announcement on Friday.

"Sometimes, you get slow when you are 35-36; your throw isn't that good anymore. So, there are discussions over where to keep you while setting the field. That's not a problem for these two because they are still terrific fielders. In addition to seniority in the dressing room, they will contribute on the field, too. We don't know if Rohit will be captain, but whatever the case, any captain will surely benefit from that," Gavaskar further said.

India's next – and their only remaining T20I assignment before the World Cup in June – will begin on January 11 when the side takes on Afghanistan in a three-match series. It is expected that the players' performances in the 2024 Indian Premier League will play a vital role in the squad selection for the World Cup.