Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has emphatically stated his belief that cricket legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should undeniably continue their One Day International careers, setting their sights on the upcoming World Cup, provided they maintain their unwavering desire and requisite physical fitness. He argues passionately that a player’s performance, rather than their age, should be the definitive factor in determining their continued presence in the national squad.
Speaking to PTI, the seasoned 46-year-old former off-spinner offered his considered perspective on the persistent public discourse surrounding the future of these two iconic Indian cricketers, who currently specialize in a single format of the game. Harbhajan also disclosed that his autobiography is now finalized and is anticipated to be released later this year, promising further insights into his illustrious career and views on the game.
To underscore his argument for Rohit and Kohli’s continued inclusion, Harbhajan drew an illuminating comparison to football icon Lionel Messi. He highlighted how Messi, at the advanced age of 39, captained Argentina to the final of the recent FIFA World Cup, consistently delivering moments of breathtaking individual brilliance throughout the tournament. This parallel serves to illustrate that exceptional talent and dedication can transcend conventional age limitations in elite sports.
The prospect of Rohit turning 41 and Kohli 39 by the time the 2027 ODI World Cup takes place in South Africa has fueled much of the debate. However, Harbhajan firmly believes that their age should not be a decisive criterion if they consistently perform at the pinnacle of the sport. “Whoever the player is, I believe the marker should be performance, not age,” Harbhajan asserted, crystallizing his central thesis.
He further elaborated that the expectations placed upon players of Kohli and Rohit’s caliber are inherently far greater than those on a nascent talent like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, despite the latter’s demonstrated ability to confront international bowlers with aggression. “Virat may be 39 but if he is still beating those 20-year-old guys on the field, it (his age) doesn’t matter. Look at Lionel Messi. At 40 (39), five men fail to stop him. If a player has that kind of fitness and skill where even five opponents can’t keep him at bay, then we know that skill always takes precedence,” he reasoned, emphasizing the enduring value of skill and fitness over mere youth.
Harbhajan also lauded Kohli’s profound impact on transforming India’s approach to winning, particularly during his influential tenure as captain from 2014-15 onwards. According to the former spinner, Kohli instilled in the team a profound belief that even seemingly insurmountable targets could be pursued with conviction, rather than passively settling for draws. “This change was first brought in by Virat Kohli when he became the captain in 2014-15. Before that we won’t think that we can go for a chase of 400 on the final day. Virat told the boys, ‘let’s at least try. We might lose but if we keep trying one day we will surpass that 400 plus in last innings.’ ‘If we have to get 10 wickets on last day, we will go for it. The winning mentality and not settle for draw is what Virat Kohli got,” he reminisced, highlighting Kohli’s pivotal role in cultivating a fearless, winning ethos.
Kohli’s influence, Harbhajan added, extended well beyond mere tactical adjustments and on-field results. He firmly believes that the former India captain was the singular most significant driving force behind the team’s dramatic fitness transformation. “But his biggest contribution was bringing in fitness culture. 90 per cent credit for creating the fitness revolution goes to Kohli. My idea of fitness was endurance but Virat made this team believe that if you are fit, you can fly around,” Harbhajan pointed out, acknowledging Kohli’s revolutionary impact on the team’s physical preparedness.
Given these profound contributions and their continued performance, the former spinner contends that India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, should unequivocally trust the unparalleled experience of Rohit and Kohli, provided they consistently meet the stringent required standards. “If I were the coach, my job would be to give them the platform as my expectations from Rohit and Virat would be much higher than what I expect from a Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. These two have that experience. They have experience of 300 games which Sooryavanshi won’t have. Yes, a Sooryavanshi can walk in and blast bowlers but Virat and Rohit have the experience,” he explained, underscoring the invaluable asset of seasoned experience.
Harbhajan, who concluded his distinguished international career with an impressive tally of 416 Test wickets and 269 ODI wickets, reiterated that ultimately, fitness and performances are the twin pillars that should determine whether this veteran duo remains in contention. “Fitness is a priority, and your performance matters. Performance is the ultimate criterion. So if these two score runs and can match the fitness of a Shreyas (Iyer) or a Yashasvi (Jaiswal), then nothing else matters,” Harbhajan declared with conviction.
The former India spinner also expressed confidence that Rohit and Kohli themselves possess the intrinsic wisdom to discern when their bodies and on-field performances indicate that the time has come to step away from the international arena. “Rohit and Virat will get their answer from within. You realise when you have reached that phase where you need to call time,” he concluded, emphasizing the self-awareness that comes with a long and illustrious career. Harbhajan himself officially announced his retirement in December 2021, though his final Test appearance had occurred significantly earlier, in 2015 at Galle.
