Even mainstays like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are not a “certainty” in the Indian team, according to legendary Kapil Dev, but veteran batters should be given a chance as long as they are playing well.
Both Kohli, 37, and Rohit, 39, are nearing the conclusion of their illustrious careers, but the former was under pressure following two poor performances against England in the current three-match ODI series.
“Certainty is never ever applied to anybody. Whoever keeps performing, keeps playing. It doesn’t matter (who he is). I would say, you keep watching the performance and let them play as much as they can,” PTI quoted Kapil as saying.
According to Kapil, the best people to decide on such senior players are the team management and selectors.
“Even Sachin Tendulkar had a lot of cricket left in him (when he retired). Let the selectors do that job. I’m not going to say who’s dropped. It’s the selectors’ and the team management’s job. I’m assessing after watching television, so it’s easy to talk about that.
“Let’s give the responsibility to the management and to the selectors to pick the best team. If they lose, we should stand by them,” he said.
But Kapil urged fans to savor what little these veterans have left in their careers.
“He (Rohit) is not 20 years old. He is almost 40, and everybody has to retire. But the amount of happiness he has given to everybody, not just Indian people, but everybody around the world — hats off to him,” he said.
“What he has given us for so many years, we should be proud of that. And as much as he can play, or as the selectors or captain think, he should play,” he added.
The captain of the 1983 World Cup-winning team also pushed the selectors to choose a squad that can win games for India, putting aside considerations like age, etc.
“Transition is the method they want to use. It’s okay, doesn’t matter, let them. Tomorrow a new boy will come and he will take over. We just have to sit back, watch, and enjoy ourselves.
“I think it’s taking time, but we have so much talent. They have to focus on who’s going to play. Don’t try to make too many shifts. Winning is the most important. If anybody is good, don’t go by his age, don’t go by his stature. You just have to pick a team that can win for India,” he observed.
15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should be allowed time to develop and reach his full potential, according to Kapil.
“I don’t want to talk about him too much. He has the talent and just give him the opportunity. We’ve seen that talent, rest he has to work very hard. A 15-year-old boy is a 15-year-old. But let him grow with his ability and talent.”
On the Indian team losing the T20I series against Ireland and England 0-2 and 0-4 respectively, Kapil said: “I think after they played so well for the last 3-4 years, I never expected it to be as bad as that, but it happens. It’s a cycle – (performance) goes up, comes down. Other teams try to catch up, and I think this is a new beginning for the Indian cricket team.
“My heart is always with the Indian team. I hope they win all the matches. But they have to perform, they have to play well to win,” he stated.
