Ex-Pakistan lead-off batter Salman Butt stands behind India’s top player, Virat Kohli, to be in the 2027 ODI World Cup. He hinted that Kohli’s excellent fitness might let him be on the national team even in his late 30s.
Kohli will hit age 39 at the time of the upcoming ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Sharing on his YouTube channel, Butt mentioned:
“With how fit Virat Kohli is and the dedication with which he plays, I don’t see any reason why he won’t play for another four years. With his fitness and intensity, he can surely play even when he is 38 years old.”
Salman Butt
Legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar from India was 37 when he participated in the 2011 World Cup at home.
Virat Kohli almost clinched his second World Cup trophy. With the Men in Blue making it to the 2023 final after 10 straight victories. Sadly, their winning spree was halted by Australia who defeated them by six wickets in the critical final game.
Kohli proved his worth with 765 runs in 11 rounds of play, leading the contest in runs. He was also commended as the Player of the Tournament.
“Maybe he feels he should now concentrate more on Tests and ODIs” – Salman Butt on Rohit Sharma’s T20I future
Rohit Sharma has not played for India in a Twenty20 International since the team’s semi-final loss to England in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Salman Butt thinks the opener is probably concentrating more on long-format games at this point but can still excel in T20. Butt continued by saying:
“Rohit Sharma cannot be compared to any other player. However, after spending a lot of time in international cricket, maybe he feels he should now concentrate more on Tests and ODIs. There is a lot of hustle and bustle in T20 cricket. However, a player like him would not have much trouble, as this format is a lot easier than Tests and ODIs”
Salman Butt
Sharma wowed audiences at the 2023 World Cup with his aggressive batting, scoring 597 runs with a strike rate of 125.94. His ODI batting achievements may entice national selectors to try to entice him back ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup.