The retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the T20I format has left a significant void in the Indian team, according to BCCI President Roger Binny. He believes it will take another two to three years for the team to fully adjust and find its footing again.
Despite the abundance of talent emerging from the IPL, Binny recognizes the immense contribution of Kohli and Rohit, who played pivotal roles in India’s recent T20 World Cup triumph. He anticipates a transition period as the team adapts to their absence. “There is so much talent in the IPL. Lot of cricketers are coming through but it is going to take some time to bridge the gap (after retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from T20Is),” Binny stated in a media interaction following the final. “They have contributed so much. It’s going to take time. We will probably see in the next two-three years, the team coming back into it’s own without them,” he added.
Rohit, 37, departs T20Is with 4231 runs from 159 matches, including five centuries and 32 half-centuries. Kohli, 35, amassed 4188 runs in 125 matches, averaging 48.69 with a highest score of 122, his lone T20 century, achieved against Afghanistan in September 2022. Both players will continue to participate in the IPL and the ODI and Test formats internationally.
Binny, a member of the 1983 ODI World Cup winning team, reflected on the impact of that maiden triumph, which elevated India from underdogs to contenders. He believes the country’s talent pool has ensured the legacy continues. “In 1983, we went as underdogs. But after that, that tag was taken off us. Whenever we go into World Cup, people expect India to win. No one is taking us lightly anymore,” he remarked.
The recently concluded World Cup also marks the end of head coach Rahul Dravid’s tenure. Speculation is rife about his replacement, with former opener Gautam Gambhir emerging as a potential candidate. However, Binny chose to remain tight-lipped on the matter. “Nothing concrete has come yet. Gautam Gambhir has a lot of experience. He has worked with teams. He played Test matches, ODIs, T20s. Let’s see,” he concluded.
