Ashwin defends Kohli and Rohit’s selection dominance amid retirement speculation
Ravichandran Ashwin says Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma cannot be dropped while they wish to play, contrasting their status with the lower scrutiny faced by Indian bowlers.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has publicly defended the continued selection of senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, asserting that the pair cannot be dropped from the national team if they remain willing to play. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ash ki Baat, Ashwin argued that the batters’ extensive career credentials and massive public support render them immune to the selection pressures that often affect other players.
Ashwin highlighted the disparity in public scrutiny between batters and bowlers, noting that star players command a significantly larger audience. He stated that dropping Kohli or Sharma would cause a major public backlash, whereas the omission of bowlers such as Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar generates comparatively little noise. He observed that while thousands may question the exclusion of bowlers, they do not create the same level of sustained public outcry as the senior batters.
The comments followed Rohit Sharma’s century against England at Lord's, which helped silence recent retirement speculation despite India losing the One Day International (ODI) series 2-1. Rohit scored 138 runs off 110 balls in the third and final match, hitting 17 fours and five sixes. Although India fell 27 runs short in the chase of 388, the innings served as a rebuttal to reports claiming the BCCI selection committee was not considering Rohit for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Prior to the decider, Rohit had scored 11 and 26 in the first two ODIs of the series. His performance in the final match underscored his status as a key match-winner and reinforced his argument that his value to the team remains high. The captain has faced intense scrutiny regarding his future, but his recent form has provided a strong counter-narrative to the speculation surrounding his retirement.
In an interview with BCCI.tv, Rohit addressed the external criticism directly, stating that such noise has been a constant feature of his career since his debut. He emphasized that his focus remains strictly on performing for India and that external opinions do not impact his commitment to the team. Rohit maintained that his job is to represent his country with the bat, regardless of the surrounding discourse.
