Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors, stated on Friday that while Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be evaluated, it would be “silly” to put them on trial in every ODI they play going forward.
Rumor has it that the two former captains would be evaluated series by series heading into the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. This is the eve of their seven-month hiatus until they play Australia in international cricket again.
“It will be silly to put them on trial for every game. Once they start playing they will be assessed but they are not on trial,” Agarkar said at the NDTV World Summit.
Agarkar once again refrained from committing to their selection for an event that is still two years away, echoing his remarks in Ahmedabad upon the announcement of Shubman Gill as the new ODI captain a few weeks ago.
“It doesn’t mean if they don’t get runs in Australia, they would be dropped and similarly if they score three tons in Australia, they would be selected for 2027 World Cup,” the former pacer said.
Agarkar added that the selection committee would have been pleased to have the experience of Rohit and Kohli, who had made the decision to quit Test cricket.
“If any place where we would have liked experience is England. Both are stalwarts and they had approached us. And once they have decided, you have got to respect their decision,” Agarkar said.
Mohammed Shami wasn’t picked for the England series because he wasn’t fit, and his overall match fitness hasn’t been up to par over the past six to eight months, the former Mumbai pacer, who is renowned for his straightforward language, also stated.
Before Bengal’s match against Uttarakhand in the Ranji Trophy, Shami had voiced his frustration at being overlooked for the ODIs against Australia, saying that if he was well enough to play in the Ranji Trophy, he could as well have played 50-over cricket.
“If Shami was here, I would give him an answer. If he is fit, why wouldn’t we have a bowler like Shami? I have had multiple chats with him. Over the last six to eight months, what we have found out is that he wasn’t fit. He wasn’t fit to be picked for England tour,” Agarkar asserted.
Although he had never called a national selector in his days, Agarkar noted that times had changed and that he now frequently receives calls from young players who have not been chosen.
“One thing is there. They get 100 per cent honesty from me,” he added.
