Ranchi, Dec 1 India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak reflected on the speculation surrounding Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's ODI futures and said he could not understand why the duo's longevity was being debated at all, given their current form.
Kohli was at his vintage best as he scored his 52nd ODI century (135 off 120) on Sunday in India's 17-run victory in the first ODI of the three-match series against South Africa.
He shared a 136-run partnership with former captain Rohit Sharma (57) and appeared in excellent form as he reached a century for the first time in 50-over cricket since his superb unbeaten century against Pakistan at the ICC Champions Trophy February.
Though Kohli received plenty of praise for his 83rd international century, it raised questions about whether he and Rohit would continue to play at the ODI level, aiming to carry on until the next edition of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in 2027.
Reacting to this, Kotak stated that there is ‘no point talking about all this' since plenty of international cricket remains before the next ODI World Cup. He also encouraged fans to appreciate Kohli, who continues to be in excellent form.
"I don't know why we need to look at all this - he's (Kohli) really batting well, and I don't see any reason we need to talk about his future," Kotak said in a post-match presser. "Just the way he's batting, it's just brilliant. The way he's performing and his fitness - there are no questions about anything.
"I feel such things (the 2027 World Cup) shouldn't even be spoken about after the way he plays and performs. That is something which is two years away. There's no point talking about all this. For us, once the team arrives and we start practice, we just enjoy," he said.
Kohli and Rohit, who led India's previous ODI series in Australia, played well together, stitching a match-winning century partnership in Ranchi. However, there has been much speculation about whether Kohli, 37, and Rohit, 38, can maintain their form and fitness to participate in the 50-over World Cup two years from now.
"Obviously, they do share their experience with others. I don't think we're talking anything about the 2027 World Cup. They are just brilliant, and they are performing. They are contributing to the team, which is a great thing for us.
They are such experienced players; it's always great to have them. The way they bat - like today also, that partnership - it makes a huge difference. Obviously, they batted really well," Kotak said.
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