Young cricketers should aim to be better than Kohli and Rohit, says Former India cricketer

Former India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani believes young cricketers should aim to surpass Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma while stressing that retirement decisions must remain personal.

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Syed Kirmani believes that young up-and-coming cricketers should aim to be better than the batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, rather than aspiring to be like them.

Ahead of last year’s England tour, both Kohli and Rohit retired from Test cricket. They had already stopped playing T20Is following their 2024 World Cup victory. This left them with ODIs, a format in which they have excelled over the years.

“They have set a great example for young players to follow. With impressive records behind them, they serve as a source of inspiration and motivation for aspiring cricketers while they are active. Young players should study how capable they are and the records they have set. Instead of merely wishing to be like players A, B, C, or D, they should aim to be better than them. That should be their primary focus and guiding principle,” Kirmani told IANS.

He believed that people criticise because they desire ‘new blood’ and ‘fresh players’ in the system, but emphasised that the decision for stalwarts to retire should be entirely up to them, rather than imposed, and stressed their experience and legacy.

He said that the duo should keep playing cricket for as long as they wish and encouraged everyone to respect their choices.

“They should keep playing if they’re enjoying cricket. Critics will always criticise, and they want new blood in the game. Everyone desires fresh players, so there’s no reason for concern. Let them decide for themselves. Their experience is a valuable support to the team, and seasoned players are always needed. We should not discourage them.”

“Leave the decision on when to retire to them. Domestic cricket also helps young players aiming for the national team. Experienced domestic players, whether in Vijay Hazare or other tournaments, can guide these aspiring cricketers. As long as they are contributing, let them be. But they should be allowed to play as much as they can. They are iconic players with impressive records. You can’t just overlook them. As I said, leave the decision to them, let them decide when to retire,” he added.

While they haven’t explicitly announced their retirement plans, it’s widely believed that the 2027 Cricket World Cup could be their final appearance for India.

( Inputs From IANS )

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