Virat Kohli may be five years old, but Rohit Sharma has at least two more years to play: Harbhajan Singh

India’s captain for the ODIs and Tests, Rohit Sharma, and previous captain Virat Kohli, in Harbhajan Singh’s opinion, still have a lot to give the national side.

Following India’s 17-year victory in the T20 World Cup, in 2024, Rohit and Kohli announced their retirement from Twenty20 international cricket. The senior pair, according to new head coach Gautam Gambhir, will be crucial to the national team’s success in Test and One-Day International settings. Even at 37 years old, Rohit is still putting up some fantastic at-bat performances with perfect consistency. As one of the fittest players in the world, 35-year-old Kohli places a high value on his physical well-being.

According to Harbhajan, Kohli can strive to live for an additional five years, while Rohit Sharma can continue to play for at least two more years in the international cricket arena.

“Rohit can play for two more years with ease. With his level of fitness, Virat Kohli might be able to compete for five more years. Hindustan Times cited Harbhajan as adding, “He’s probably the fittest guy on the team.”

“Any 19-year-old who is up against Virat can answer that. He will lose to Virat. That fits him. It’s totally up to Virat and Rohit, but I think they have a lot more cricket left in them. Should they remain fit, perform well, and help the team win, they ought to keep playing. Just like that,” the former cricket player who is now a commentator continued.

In red-ball cricket, these two players absolutely ought to play a little bit more than what the public is requesting: Harbhajan Singh

The renowned off-spinner believes that, particularly in Test cricket, Rohit and Kohli are essential in developing the younger players.

“In red-ball cricket, it would be incredibly helpful if these two players contributed a little bit more than what is being requested. Whether playing Test or limited overs cricket, you need experience in both forms. Harbhajan said, “You need experienced cricketers to develop the talent that is emerging.”

“Selectors must see that a person should be dropped if they are not performing properly. Whether they are younger or veteran players. However, everyone should be able to be chosen for the team if they are all fit. Furthermore, the moment has come if they are not making any effort to improve their fitness or run count. He continued, “They need to be making room for the younger ones.

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India lost the just finished ODI series against Sri Lanka 0–2. Rohit and Kohli were involved. The Mumbai batsman ended up scoring the most runs in the series, but Kohli found it difficult on the Colombo tracks that were favourable to spin.