On Sunday, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi issued a rallying call for India’s top-order stars, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, urging that they remain integral to the national side through the 2027 World Cup. “It’s a fact that Virat and Rohit are the backbone of the Indian batting line‑up, and the way they have played in the recent ODI series, it can confidently be said that they can play until the 2027 World Cup,” the cricketer was quoted as saying in a report by Telecom Asia Sport. Afridi added that both players should feature in major series, but that India could experiment with new talent against weaker opponents to give Kohli and Sharma a break. “You need to preserve both these stars, and when India is playing against a weaker team, they can try some new players and rest Virat and Rohit,” he told www.telecomasia.net. The former opener also critiqued India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, recalling past on‑field friction and remarking, “The way Gautum started his stint, it looked like he thought that what he thinks and says is right, but after some time, it was proved that you are not always right.” Afridi expressed excitement at Rohit’s achievement of surpassing his own record for most sixes in ODIs, noting, “Records are meant to be broken, and this too is now bettered. I am happy that a player whom I have always liked has broken this record.” He reflected on his own longstanding tally of fastest centuries and how the sport thrives on such milestones. In the second ODI against South Africa at Raipur, Rohit edged past Afridi’s 351 sixes in 398 games, elevating his count to 355 in 279 matches. Speaking about his earlier experience with Rohit during his sole Indian Premier League season with the Deccan Chargers in 2008, Afridi recalled, “I played alongside Rohit for the Deccan Chargers in my only Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2008, and at that time, I liked him.” “During practice sessions of the Charges, I watched him bat, and his class impressed me. I knew that one day Rohit would play for India, and he has proved himself as a classy batter,” he added. 📃
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