Keeping legends alive: How Shubman Gill plans to deal with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s ODI pace | Cricket News

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will need careful management going forward now that they are playing only one format, skipper Shubman Gill said on Saturday, emphasizing the importance of game time for the two white-ball legends.Kohli and Rohit finished the ODI series in style, scoring an unbeaten 74 and 121 respectively, guiding India to a nine-wicket win in the dead rubber against Australia.Go beyond borders with our YouTube channel. REGISTER NOW!Asked about the upcoming gap ahead of the upcoming series against South Africa and then New Zealand, Gill admitted there had been no discussion yet. “We haven’t talked about it yet. But I think once the South African ODI series is over (December 6), there will be a gap in international cricket before the New Zealand ODI series (January 11, 2026). So I think next we’ll look at how to keep players in touch. Then I think a decision will be made,” he said.

With only six more ODIs left for the season – three against South Africa and three against New Zealand – ensuring adequate playing time is a challenge. For the young skipper, seeing 38-year-old Rohit and 36-year-old Kohli complete a clinical chase was simply a treat. “They’ve been doing this for 15 years. To be able to see them play like that and allow the team to go undefeated is truly a treat to watch,” Gill said.He added: “As captain, when you sit outside and watch the game, it feels really good that the two oldest players in the team are playing and they are helping the team to qualify.”Gill also highlighted the duo’s technical brilliance: “I think, like I said, it’s a treat to watch them both, especially when they bat like that, and to see the ball fly off their bats, and to hear the sound that comes out of their bat is something that tells you how good they both are.”He concluded by praising their approach to finishing games: “Watching them from the outside and guiding the team is something we often talk about in team meetings. They lead by example, so that’s a big bonus for us.”