"Their skill level is absolutely vital to most campaigns" - Kumar Sangakkara on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's T20I future
Kumar Sangakkara feels Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will have to take a call on their T20I future in conversation with the selectors as the two stalwarts are still vital for Team India if they are at the top of their game.
Kohli and Rohit are not part of India's 16-member squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka starting at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, January 3. While the latter is yet to fully recover from his thumb injury, the former has reportedly been rested.
During an interaction on Sports Tak, Sangakkara was asked whether he thinks it is the end of the road for Rohit and Kohli in T20Is, to which he responded:
"At the end of the day, you want to select the highest skill in your side. It doesn't matter who you take, if you don't have the skill to win, you are going to win very rarely. If they are fit and hungry and they are performing at their best, their skill level is absolutely vital to most campaigns."
The former Sri Lankan skipper feels the experienced duo might be the best judges to decide on their future, explaining:
"You are talking about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two players with the highest skill that you can imagine in every format. So those players will have to also have a conversation and see what their ambitions are, what's best for the team, what's best for India in terms of pursuing a trophy."
Sangakkara added that the selectors will have to take a final call based on discussions with all stakeholders, elaborating:
"I think that's a decision the selectors will take in consultation with the coach and in consultation with the players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, to see how long they will be able to play, whether the next World Cup is a reality for them."
Most runs for India in T20Is in 2022:
Suryakumar Yadav - 1164 runs at 47/187
Virat Kohli - 781 runs at 56/138
Rohit Sharma - 656 runs at 24/134
Kohli, who did not have a great 2022 otherwise, came into his own in the game's shortest format towards the end of the Asia Cup and the following T20 World Cup. Rohit, on the other hand, had a poor T20 World Cup and will have to raise his game to continue holding onto his spot.
"Sometimes selectors make decisions for various different reasons" - Kumar Sangakkara on the call on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
Sangakkara concluded by saying that the team's interest needs to be kept foremost while taking a call on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's future, observing:
"Sometimes selectors make decisions for various different reasons but the real important thing is to have a good partnership with the players and team concerned, the captain and the coach, to understand what's best for the side, what kind of players they need and who really will allow India to win and be competitive on the international stage for the longest time."
Will 2023 mark the start of an end for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the T20Is? 🥹
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Kohli and Rohit might be seen concentrating on ODIs ahead of T20Is in preparation for the World Cup to be played later this year. Their future in the shortest format, especially for the T20 World Cup next year, might be dependent on how they perform in the 50-over format this year.