NEW DELHI: After Virat Kohli confirmed his participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad issued a warning to current chief selector Ajit Agarkar, advising him not to compel legends like Kohli and Rohit Sharma to play domestic cricket.
The former wicketkeeper-batter stressed that Rohit and Kohli are performing better than the younger players, and noted that during his tenure as chief selector, he never pressured MS Dhoni to play domestic cricket.
"First thing that needs to be ensured is that you shouldn't be messing with the minds of such big players. They are the ones who are performing, not the younger lot," said Prasad, speaking to Times of India.
Virat Kohli climbs to fourth in ICC ODI rankings, Rohit Sharma stays at top
"It will be ideal if they play domestic cricket when they are not on national duty, because that will also inspire the young players in the state teams. But one should be careful that the issue is not brought up all the time. We never had a word with Dhoni about playing domestic cricket. He played whenever he felt it was necessary. There should be clear communication up front. Or else, stick to the perform-or-perish policy. There should not be any scope for ambiguity," he added.
Kohli, now a one format player, is currently busy with the ODI series against South Africa. Kohli is returning to the Hazare Trophy for the first time since appearing against Services in February 2010.
The 37-year-old racked up his 52nd ODI hundred in the series opener at Ranchi, showing he remains sharp as ever despite playing just one version of the game.
Kohli retired from Tests earlier this year, while his last T20 International coincided with India's triumph in the 2024 World Cup in Barbados.
Delhi open their Vijay Hazare campaign against Andhra in Bengaluru on December 24. In total, they will play six games.
