Sanjay Bangar feels Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can have long careers like Sachin Tendulkar

By Asianetnews English Stories | First Published Aug 27, 2024, 3:20 PM IST

Both of them announced their retirement from T20Is after the ICC World T20 triumph in West Indies earlier this year. Kohli, 35, has amassed more than 22,000 runs in ODIs and Tests combined, while Rohit, 37, has scored above 10,000 runs in the 50-over format so far.

With Shikhar Dhawan's retirement, discussions about the future of other senior players in Indian cricket have started making rounds. The question is how long senior batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will continue playing international cricket. Both of them announced their retirement from T20Is after the ICC World T20 triumph in West Indies earlier this year. However, former Indian player and batting coach Sanjay Bangar says that both legends still have a lot to offer to India cricket.

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Kohli has been one of the fittest cricketers in world cricket and as of now the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Batsman is showing no signs of slowing down. The right-band batsman top scored with 76 in the final of the T20 WC in Barbados. He has already amassed a total of more than 22,000 runs in Tests and ODIs combined, and is looking poised to break a couple more records before hanging up his boots.

Rohit, on the other hand, is someone who relies more on his skill than fitness. The 37-year-old is undoubtedly one of the greatest white ball batters of this generation, having scored more than 10,000 runs in the ODIs. The right-hand batsman smashed 597 runs at a whopping strike rate of 125 in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup in India.

"I think Rohit will continue to play as long as his body and fitness allows him to. Because a player of that quality – Sachin played till 40, even Rahul played till 40 – with better fitness standards, more professionals are looking after players. Like a lot of nutritionists also are helping," Bangar said on The Rao Podcast.

"The players' careers are going to get longer, and in that process, if it benefits the Indian team, nothing like it. Even with Virat, depends on his body. The last format that he would give up away will be Test cricket. So, I am sure that you will see Virat playing Test cricket for another five years," Bangar added.

Rohit and Kohli are getting ready for the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh on home soil, starting on September 19. Men in Blue will also play host to New Zealand for three Tests before traveling to South Africa for a white ball series and then they will make the trip to Australia for the much anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy in November.

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