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Former New Zealand allrounder Scott Styris has shared his thoughts on the retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja from T20I cricket. The trio bid farewell to the format following India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Choosing to retire at the peak of their careers, Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja have certainly left a significant gap. However, the strength and depth of Indian cricket mean that emerging talents are well-prepared to step into their roles.
In a conversation with News18 CricketNext, Scott Styris emphasized the importance of having a succession plan to ensure a team remains strong despite the retirement of key players. He also expressed admiration for the young Indian batters, noting their impressive performances in the IPL. According to Styris, these emerging talents are now well-equipped to step up and fill the roles left by the departing stars.
“I commentated in the IPL and said there that you have to have a succession plan and you have to make sure that you don’t have a lot of players retire at the same time. So, the way that the IPL went this year with a lot of huge scores in the way that the local Indian batsmen played, I think right now is a perfect time to bring some of those young players in,” Styris opined.
Styris further highlighted that India’s extensive bench strength provides them with numerous options to seamlessly replace top-tier players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja.
“They know all the players, all the teams, what international cricket’s like. So, when they get to a World Cup, they’re ready to go. So, yeah, I agree it’s a big loss, losing Virat (Kohli), losing Rohit (Sharma), losing Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja]. However, you’ve got such depth,” Styris said.
Who will replace Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in T20Is?
Following the T20 World Cup 2024, the Indian team management hinted at Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal as potential replacements for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the series against Zimbabwe. Both players have showcased strong performances in their brief international careers and appear well-suited to contribute to India’s future success.
Gill is already recognized as a key player across all formats and was recently named India’s vice-captain for the T20Is and ODIs in Sri Lanka. The selectors see him as a potential future captain for India.
Meanwhile, Jaiswal has become an integral part of India’s batting lineup in both Tests and T20Is. He was also a member of the squad that clinched the T20 World Cup 2024, where he served as a third opener behind Sharma and Kohli. Known for his wide array of shots, Jaiswal’s versatility makes him a valuable asset in the T20 format.
