Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin reckons the selectors and the team’s think tank can not drop the veteran duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma if they want to play. There were questions raised on Rohit Sharma’s future but he answered the critics in style, scoring a fine knock of 138 runs off 110 balls in the third ODI against England at Lord’s on Sunday.

Kohli also scored a decent knock of 74 runs off 60 balls and the duo added 113 runs off 86 balls for the second-wicket alliance. Earlier in the series, Kohli scored 65 runs off 66 balls in the second ODI at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on Thursday.

Kohli and Rohit have been the pillars of Indian cricket in the ODI format and it would not make sense to show them the exit doors.

Ashwin said on his YouTube Channel, “They cannot touch Virat and Rohit if they want to play. It is because of their credentials. Rohit has scored almost 12,000 runs; they cannot touch him. The other thing is that they are batters, and if you touch them, they have an army. People come to see them. If you drop them, it will just break the roof down.

Ashwin said when the pace trio of Shami, Siraj and Bhuvneshwar are not picked, there is not much noise.

“But if Shami, Siraj, and Bhuvneshwar are not picked, just a maximum of ten thousand people would raise questions. There would not be that much noise. If a day comes when people would make noise for bowlers, it would be difficult to drop them as well. Actually, it is impossible to drop Virat and Rohit. But such rules do not apply to the bowlers,” Ashwin added.

The former off-spinner reckons India would need experienced bowlers in the ODI showpiece in 2027.

“All the experienced bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, and Mohammed Siraj have done well, and they all have a good chance. There will be help on the wickets in South Africa. You need to keep everyone in contention in this case scenario.”

India would next take on Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series.