2027 WC: Afridi slams Gambhir, says 'Virat & Rohit are backbone of Indian batting'

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has backed Indian stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, rejecting narratives suggesting they should beryllium phased retired of the ODI setup. He insisted the duo remains captious to India’s plans and should proceed until the 2027 ODI World Cup, according to a study published connected Monday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“It’s a information that Virat and Rohit are the backbone of the Indian batting line-up, and the mode they person played successful the caller ODI series, it tin confidently beryllium said that they tin play until the 2027 World Cup,” Afridi said.

Afridi added that some should diagnostic chiefly successful high-profile matches. “You request to sphere some these stars, and erstwhile India is playing against a weaker team, they tin effort immoderate caller players and remainder Virat and Rohit,” helium said.The erstwhile all-rounder besides criticised India’s caput manager

Gautam Gambhir

, with whom helium shared frosty on-field moments during their playing careers. “The mode Gautam started his stint, it looked similar helium thought that what helium thinks and says is right, but aft immoderate time, it was proved that you are not ever right.”Afridi besides expressed joyousness implicit Rohit surpassing his ODI six-hitting record. “Records are meant to beryllium broken, and this excessively is present bettered.

I americium blessed that a subordinate whom I person ever liked has breached this record.”“My grounds of fastest period stood for astir 18 years, but it was yet broken, truthful records are acceptable by 1 subordinate and different subordinate comes and breaks it. This is cricket.”Rohit went past Afridi’s tally of 351 ODI sixes during India’s 2nd ODI against South Africa successful Raipur and present stands astatine 355 from 279 games. Reflecting connected his relation with Rohit during the 2008 IPL season, Afridi recalled: “I played alongside Rohit for the Deccan Chargers successful my lone Indian Premier League (IPL) play successful 2008, and astatine that time, I liked him.“During signifier sessions of the Charges, I watched him bat, and his people impressed me. I knew that 1 time Rohit would play for India, and helium has proved himself arsenic a classy batter,” helium said.