"Kind of fitness Virat Kohli has, he can easily play until 2026" - Kris Srikkanth backs star batter to play home T20 World Cup in 2026
Former Indian opener Kris Srikkanth believes the ongoing T20 World Cup will not be Virat Kohli's last and that the ace batter can also play the 2026 edition at home. The 35-year-old is yet to win a T20 World Cup title despite being the tournament's all-time leading run-scorer with 1,141 runs at a stunning average of 81.50 in 27 games.
Kohli was also the Player of the Tournament in the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups but Team India fell short of ultimate glory on both occasions.
When talking about the 2024 T20 World Cup potentially being the last for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel:
"Is this a last chance for them to win together as a team (with Rohit and Kohli), probably yes. Keep in mind, the 2026 T20 World Cup is in India. So everybody would like to play in India. As far as I am concerned, the kind of fitness Virat Kohli has, he can easily play until 2026. So 2026 could be Virat's last. For Virat Kohli, this is not the last chance. But he will be very keen because he has not won a T20 World Cup yet."
Despite being out of action in T20Is since the 2022 World Cup, Kohli and Rohit were recalled for the Afghanistan series earlier this year.
Team India's 2024 T20 World Cup campaign will get underway against Ireland in New York on June 5.
"He will now be looking at the T20 World Cup, thinking he should win it for India as a captain" - Kris Srikkanth
Kris Srikkanth feels Rohit Sharma would be desperate to win the T20 World Cup title as captain after barely missing out in last year's ODI World Cup.
Team India ran through the table, winning all nine league stage games and the semi-final before falling in the grand finale. Rohit was part of India's title run under MS Dhoni in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.
"Whereas Rohit Sharma has won it in 2007. He wanted the ODI World Cup very badly, but he missed it. He will now be looking at the T20 World Cup, thinking he should win it for India as a captain. As a captain, winning the World Cup is a big thing. That's why MS Dhoni is being spoken about so much. He has won all the major trophies. Rohit Sharma will be keen on winning for the team and for the country more than himself, that's what I am trying to say," said Srikkanth.
Rohit has captained India in three ICC events - the 2022 T20 World Cup, the World Test Championship (WTC), and the ODI World Cup last year.
However, the side fell agonizingly short on all three occasions, losing in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup and the final of the other two events.