Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif slammed team management and critics after Rohit Sharma scored a fine century in the third ODI against England. It was earlier reported that Rohit would play his final ODI game at Lord’s but he answered the critics in style.
Rohit scored a magnificent knock of 138 runs off 110 balls in the third ODI at the iconic venue on Sunday as he became the first Indian batter to score an ODI century at Lord’s. However, his efforts went in vain as India could not chase down a gargantuan total of 388 runs and fell short by 27 runs in the end.
The veteran batter scored 17 fours and five sixes in his blistering knock as he batted at the top of his game.
“So, in my opinion, you need both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the side at any cost. I am saying that the boss sitting on top of the BCCI, should already be informing the selectors, coaches and captain to leave Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma alone. They will get to play white-ball cricket for long as they wish, and when the runs don’t come, they themselves will feel, I am not worthy and not able to contribute, and then they will inform BCCI of the retirement plans,” Mohammad Kaif said on Cricbuzz.
Kaif added that the veteran duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are currently indispensable in the ODI format and BCCI should control things in a better way.
“So, I feel that BCCI should take some action here because the minute the scores don’t come in 1 or 2 matches, it is chaos, media begins to say that it is his last match, so remove him. Brother, is this a joke that is going on? I think BCCI, with more authority, should inform that no one will touch Rohit and Virat because they can play for as long as they want, because they are playing like this. So, please do not write these players off, don’t put them in doubt, let them enjoy. I want Shubman Gill to come out and outright say that he wants both Rohit and Virat in the World Cup squad,” he continued.
The former UP batter hailed Rohit Sharma for handling the pressure with guile and once again proving his mettle at the top stage.
“If we talk about the pressure that Rohit Sharma was in during this match, where the atmosphere that was created was that he was not scoring runs in the series, and the way he batted rising above that pressure, he has now scored the highest score by an Indian batter at Lord’s. He played such an innings that he told the critics and the pundits, all of who are against him, that they will not decide his time. He will decide to step away when he decides. I will play in a way that will force you to back me,” Mohammad Kaif said.
Rohit will be next seen in the ODI series against the West Indies in September.
