NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's future in ODIs continues to be the big talking point in the Indian cricketing fraternity, with former Indian chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar even raising concerns on their selection for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia starting October 19.
Kohli and Rohit will return to international cricket after a seven-month hiatus, having last featured for India in the Champions Trophy final in March this year. Since their retirements from Tests and T20Is, their participation has been limited to ODIs, which has raised concerns for Vengsarkar.
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"Rohit and Virat have been great players over the years, but if you are playing just one format of the game, I believe the selectors need to take a call on this. I feel you cannot know or judge the form and fitness of such players because they've had a long layoff after the last game they have played. It's very difficult to assess their form and fitness," Vengsarkar told Mid-Day.
"Rohit and Virat have possibly been picked because of their great records. They have been great players and have done yeomen service to Indian cricket, having won many matches in all formats of the game. But since they have not been playing Test match cricket as well as T20s, and are playing only one format, one-day matches, which is not very often played during the season, it's very difficult to gauge their form and fitness. But since they have been picked, the selectors may have checked that, though I don't know how."
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"It's really up to the selectors whether they want to stick with Rohit and Virat or look ahead and give opportunities to those players who are available for all formats of the game. It depends on how they look at Indian cricket going ahead," Vengsarkar added.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar clarified that both players cleared their mandatory pre-season fitness tests and also said that to continue representing India in ODIs, Rohit and Kohli must participate in domestic cricket, specifically the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
"They have both done their fitness tests. They've gone through the required norms that have been put in place. I haven't heard anything beyond that."
"Whenever the guys are playing or not, they should be playing domestic cricket. Whether it's possible alongside international cricket or not, time will tell," he said.
