Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra has said that senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli need to compete with youngsters to secure a place in the upcoming 20-over World Cup.
The 44-year-old emphasised that age is not a factor; what matters is how many runs a player is scoring. He added that youngsters must prove themselves to earn a spot in the ‘Men in Blue’ squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
“Age is no criterion. What matters is how many runs you are scoring. We spoke about Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Shubman Gill… but if Rohit Sharma wants to play, they have to compete with him. Here is a 36-year-old super-fit, fearless guy.
When we talk about Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, again—the World Cup is very far—if they want to play and they are scoring runs, youngsters will have to beat them to make a place in the XI,” Nehra said ahead of India’s first T20I encounter against Australia.
He also mentioned that the loss in the ODI World Cup 2023 should not affect the upcoming T20 WC. Regarding Kohli and Rohit’s performances, the former speedster added that any selector would be tempted to add them to the squad unless they retire from cricket.
“Loss in the ODI World Cup shouldn’t make a difference. How those two think is the most important part. Virat Kohli is scoring runs in the IPL, Rohit Sharma is performing; any selector will be tempted, and they will have discussions unless they announce their retirement, which I hope won’t be the case in the near future,” Nehra concluded.
