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Former Pakistan cricketer Tanvir Ahmed, known for his critical comments about India, recently made another bold statement. He took to social media to assert that India will face significant challenges once Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retire from the ODI format.
Kohli and Sharma are currently participating in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, with India trailing 0-1. The first match of the series ended in a dramatic tie, while Sri Lankan spinners dominated the second match, dismantling India’s batting lineup.
Tanvir Ahmed believes that India is not as strong in ODIs without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Tanvir Ahmed took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his view that India is not the top ODI team without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He also challenged India to prove themselves as the best ODI team in the absence of these two key players.
“Ind vs sri 1 ODI match draw 2ND ODI Sri won Today Abhi ruko to zara Rohit Sharma or Virat Kholi ko ODI cricket say retirement leney do phir main dekhta hon india team kitna top ki team banti ha ODI main,” Tanvir Ahmed posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Tanvir Ahmed’s open challenge to India
A few days ago, Tanveer Ahmed openly invited the Indian team to come and play in Pakistan, referencing Pakistan’s visit to India for the ODI World Cup 2023.
“Sher hai hum log sher hai, hum log sher hai. Hum log tere mulk me aa ke khel ke gaye hai. Aake dikha….Hum toh kah rahe hai aake khelo. Security denge, sab kuch denge tum logon ko. Aao toh sahi ek dafaa (We are lions, we are lions. We came and played cricket in your country. Come here and show… We are inviting you to come and play. We will provide security, we will give you everything. Just come once),” Tanvir Ahmed had said.
India aims to finish the series on a winning note.
India will look to bounce back in the third ODI against Sri Lanka and aim to end the series on a high note. With another spin-friendly pitch expected, the Indian batters will face another significant challenge against turning deliveries, having struggled with spin throughout the series.
While Rohit Sharma has been in form, scoring two fifties in as many games, Virat Kohli has yet to find his rhythm. Rohit has amassed 122 runs in 2 matches at an average of 61, whereas Kohli has managed only 38 runs across the same number of games.
Following India’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have retired from T20Is but will continue to play in Tests and ODIs. They will be pivotal for India in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship (WTC) final next year.
Both players boast impressive ODI records; Kohli was the highest run-scorer in last year’s ODI World Cup, while Rohit Sharma was the second-highest run-getter. Their consistent performances have been a hallmark of their careers.
India has several promising options to eventually replace these stalwarts. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are seen as leading candidates, with Ruturaj Gaikwad also in contention.
