World Cup 2023: ODI World Cup is going to be organized in India at the end of this year. There is still about 8 months left for the World Cup to take place. But due to poor form and fitness, questions are being raised on Indian veteran players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. However, former cricketer Gautam Gambhir has described Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as the most important players of Team India in view of winning the World Cup title.
Gautam Gambhir believes that highly experienced Indian cricketers like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will play a big role in the ODI World Cup to be held later in the year in October-November. Kohli was a member of the 2011 team that won the World Cup on home soil. Rohit was not involved in that tournament and was the highest run-scorer in the 2019 ODI World Cup.
Both Kohli and Rohit will be seen in the 50-over match during India’s upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka starting January 10 in Guwahati. Gambhir said, “I always feel when we talk about this new approach that India always talks about, you have to identify players who can fit into those roles or that template very easily. Some players can’t follow that template. So why force them to play a certain way which they don’t naturally have.”
Team India will play more ODIs this year
Gambhir further added, “So, I think it is very important to identify players as well as get the right mix, instead of thinking that we have to play on a certain template. I think Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and All those guys who can take their innings forward will play a big role in the coming World Cup.”
Gambhir also said that the change in rules in ODIs means that there is not much scope for fast bowlers to get reverse swing.
After the first ODI in Guwahati, India and Sri Lanka will play two more ODIs in Kolkata and Thiruvananthapuram before playing three matches against New Zealand in January 2023 followed by a home Test series with Australia in March.
