New Delhi, Jan 17 Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said he has a strong belief in Rohit Sharma having the autonomy to decide when he retires from international cricket, though he thinks the selectors could also have a say in it. As India suffered a 3-1 Test series loss in Australia, Rohit made just 31 runs in five innings, and his decision to stand down from the Sydney Test increased speculation on his international future.
"I believe that in Indian cricket, Tendulkar decided his future, and Rohit Sharma will decide his future. Retirement is a personal decision—how long you want to play or how much more you want to contribute is up to the player. Ultimately, though, it’s also up to the selectors—in this case, Mr. Ajit Agarkar and his team," said Manjrekar on an episode of 'Deep Point' podcast by Star Sports.
Manjrekar also suggested that Virat Kohli should consider playing a season of County cricket in England to enhance his Test game in English conditions ahead of the five-match Test series in June, citing Cheteshwar Pujara’s example.
Though the County season is clashing with the Indian Premier League (IPL), Kohli can still play red-ball games in England if he becomes a part of India ‘A’ squad for the shadow series ahead of the main Test series. Kohli didn’t have a great Australia tour, as it was marred by him being dismissed while chasing outside off-stump balls all the time.
“Kohli needs to play a lot of red-ball cricket. The first Test in England is in June, while the County Championship begins in April. He could join a County team, like Pujara did, and gain valuable match practice. India can then evaluate his performances in the initial Test matches.”
“If there are positive signs, he can continue. But the last thing you want is Kohli going there and struggling, as we’ve seen before. That wouldn’t be good for Indian cricket. Playing County cricket could be a very sensible move for him,” he added.
Former RCB head coach and ex-India batting coach Sanjay Bangar remains optimistic about Kohli’s future, backing him to play several more years due to his top-class fitness standards. “I’m still backing him. Even at 36 (years old), he’s as fit as ever. His fitness levels are remarkable, and I believe he can continue playing at the highest level.”
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta feels Rohit and Kohli are incomparable, adding that the former needs to address specific concerns to retain his position in the side.
“Let’s not club Rohit and Virat together. Just like in the previous generation of Indian cricket, where Sachin (Tendulkar) and Rahul (Dravid) were different, you have to evaluate each player individually.”
“For Rohit, the next five months of predominantly international white-ball cricket and the IPL will be crucial. The weight of his performances in these formats will be telling. Beyond that, factors like his first-class cricket form, fitness levels, and performance in the Champions Trophy will also be important. The final decision rests with the selectors.”
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