NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels Rohit Sharma will have autonomy to decide when he retires from international cricket but acknowledged that the selectors may have a say in the matter too.
India’s recent 3-1 Test series loss in Australia saw Rohit struggling with the bat, scoring only 31 runs in five innings.
His decision to sit out of the Sydney Test further fueled speculations about his international future, espicially in the longest format.
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“I believe that in Indian cricket, Tendulkar decided his future, and Rohit Sharma will decide his future. Retirement is a personal decision—how long you want to play or how much more you want to contribute is up to the player. Ultimately, though, it’s also up to the selectors—in this case, Mr. Ajit Agarkar and his team,” said Manjrekar on an episode of ‘Deep Point’ podcast by Star Sports.
Manjrekar also suggested that Virat Kohli should consider playing a season of County cricket in England to improve his Test game ahead of the five-match series in June. He cited Cheteshwar Pujara’s example, who benefitted from the the experience of playing in Country cricket.
Although the County season clashes with the Indian Premier League (IPL), Kohli could still play red-ball cricket in England, joining the India ‘A’ squad for the shadow series before the main Test series.
Kohli had a disappointing tour of Australia, where he was often dismissed while chasing deliveries outside the off-stump.
“Kohli needs to play a lot of red-ball cricket. The first Test in England is in June, while the County Championship begins in April. He could join a County team, like Pujara did, and gain valuable match practice. India can then evaluate his performances in the initial Test matches.”
“If there are positive signs, he can continue. But the last thing you want is Kohli going there and struggling, as we’ve seen before. That wouldn’t be good for Indian cricket. Playing County cricket could be a very sensible move for him,” he added.
Former RCB head coach and ex-India batting coach Sanjay Bangar too was optimistic about Kohli’s future. He believes that Kohli’s excellent fitness levels will allow him to play for several more years.
“I’m still backing him. Even at 36 (years old), he’s as fit as ever. His fitness levels are remarkable, and I believe he can continue playing at the highest level.”
