NEW DELHI: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has issued a strong message to those questioning the places of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the Indian team, especially amid growing discussions around their ODI future and India’s roadmap for the 2027 World Cup.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking in a recent interview, Shastri made it clear that any attempts to sideline the senior duo were unacceptable. He called out critics who have been casting doubts following Kohli and Rohit’s retirements from Tests and ODIs.
“Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are ODI giants. You don’t mess around with players of that stature,” Shastri told Prabhat Khabar.When asked who was responsible for creating such doubts, Shastri chose not to name anyone directly. “Some people are doing it. That’s all I will say,” he replied, before adding, “And if these two switch on properly, hit the right buttons, all the ones messing around will disappear from the scene real quick.”Shastri, who has worked closely with both Indian greats and shares a particularly strong emotional bond with Kohli, didn’t hesitate to express his point in Hindi as well.“Aise players ke sath aap masti mat karo yaar,” he said. When pressed further on who was interfering, Shastri added, “Karne waale kar rahe hain. Agar unka dimaag theek ho gaya na aur sahi bata daba diya, to sab aaju baaju nikal jayenge.”Watch the video hereHis remarks come at a time when public and expert scrutiny on Indian cricket’s senior players has intensified, with long-term team planning and the 2027 World Cup strategy at the centre of the debate.
