Dilip Vengsarkar statement: Former captain Dilip Vengsarkar is extremely disappointed with the ‘unnecessary’ speculations over Rohit Sharma’s retirement during the Champions Trophy as he believes greats like the current Indian skipper should be given time to decide on their future. After leading India to their second International Cricket Council (ICC) title in nine months, Rohit put an end to all speculations about his future, saying he is not retiring from the ODI format. Thirty-seven-year-old Rohit is yet to commit to the 2027 ODI World Cup but Vengsarkar believes his presence will only do good for the team.
Retirement of Rohit-Kohli
Vengsarkar told PTI, “I am not an astrologer. There are still many matches to be played till the 2027 World Cup. A lot will depend on his form and fitness. It would not be appropriate to say anything at this time but he has been brilliant both as a captain and a player. I don’t know why people speculated (on his retirement), it is unnecessary. A player of his level should have the right to decide about his future.
Rohit played impressive innings
Rohit played impressive knocks in challenging batting conditions in both the T20 World Cup 2024 and the Champions Trophy. In Dubai, he ensured India made the most of the powerplay, especially while chasing the target under immense pressure against New Zealand in the final. Vengsarkar said, “The way he is playing at the moment is fantastic. He has scored three double centuries in ODI cricket. What more can I say about him.”
This former chief selector said, “Players like Virat and Rohit are big match players, the bigger the stage, the better the performance. This is very important from the team’s point of view. Their presence itself lowers the morale of the opposition team.” The Champions Trophy was a turning point for Rohit as he was ruled out of the final Test in Sydney due to a prolonged period of poor form. On the slow pitches of Dubai, players like Shreyas Iyer and Lokesh Rahul made significant contributions to India’s title win.
Vengsarkar happy with Iyer’s performance
After a volatile year with winning the IPL and being out of the central contract at the same time, Iyer proved his worth in the team. Vengsarkar is very happy with the performance of this middle-order batsman. Vegsarkar said, “Iyer played very well but I am not happy with the way he got out in the final. He should have played till the end and finished the match. But it was good to see him realising his potential.”
I do not trust Axar Patel
He said, “Lokesh Rahul also played some important innings at number six but still I do not trust Axar Patel to bat ahead of him at number five. The left-right hand combination could be the only reason.” Vengsarkar also gave credit to the selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar. He said, “Credit for this should also go to the selectors. They retained Rohit after the Australia series. Even the decision to include five spinners in the team proved to be a master stroke.”