Harbhajan Singh firmly defends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli‘s place in the 2027 ODI World Cup, criticizing critics without significant achievements who question the future of the Indian cricket legends. The former India spinner expressed his admiration for the duo’s ongoing performances and leadership, stressing that both players remain vital to India’s ODI plans and are setting an example for the younger generation. Despite their advancing ages, with Rohit at 38 and Kohli at 37, Harbhajan expects them to continue until the World Cup in South Africa, applauding their recent form and contributions to the team.
Harbhajan Singh’s strong support for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
On the sidelines of ILT20, speaking to media, Harbhajan highlighted the unfortunate situation where the futures of Rohit and Virat are being influenced by individuals who have not reached comparable milestones in cricket. He emphasized his own experience as a player to underline the importance of respecting the achievements and ongoing form of legends like Rohit and Kohli.
“It is beyond our understanding. I may not be able to answer because I have been a player myself, and what I have seen has happened to me as well. It has happened to many of my teammates, but it is very unfortunate. We don’t talk about it or have a discussion about it,” Harbhajan said.
Both players have retired from Test and T20 formats but remain active in ODIs, with Kohli recently scoring back-to-back centuries in the home series against South Africa and a fitter Rohit posting consistent high scores, including a 121 not out. Harbhajan praised them as steadfast leaders and role models who demonstrate the qualities required to be champions, reinforcing that their positions in India’s cricket setup should not be questioned lightly.
“I am so happy when I see a player like Virat Kohli who is still going strong. It is a bit unfortunate that those people are deciding about their future who have not achieved much,” Harbhajan added.
Harbhajan shares concerns over Indian Cricket’s pitch quality and future
Beyond endorsing the veterans, Harbhajan expressed concern about the quality of cricket pitches in India, which he claims are overly bowler-friendly and disadvantage batters by reducing scoring opportunities. He criticized the trend of preparing rank-turning tracks that favor spinners with the new ball, arguing that such surfaces stunt the development of both batters and bowlers, particularly strike spinners.
Harbhajan urged the cricket board and ground authorities to revert to more balanced pitches that offer a fair challenge to both batting and bowling units, similar to conditions abroad where Indian batters find more opportunities to build innings. He also highlighted the impact of T20 cricket on players’ patience and emphasized the need for longer-format preparedness to sustain India’s competitiveness in international cricket.
Harbhajan concluded by recognizing the success of the ongoing ILT20 league in the UAE, praising its role in expanding cricket’s footprint in the region and providing opportunities for players from neighboring countries to compete alongside international stars.
“They have to start playing on good tracks. We don’t give much chance to our batsmen to make runs. If we tour abroad our batsmen have a chance to make runs because the pitch is good for batting. The bowlers have to work hard. That is why I think it is high time that the pitches that have been made in the last 10-12 years are very bowler-friendly especially spinner-friendly. Spinners bowl with the new ball. I think somewhere we need to change that trend. I feel it is not the right kind of thing to do. Our team is so solid and we have played well in England. We will win even if we play for five days. Why are you looking to play two and half days of Test cricket?” Harbhajan concluded.
