Former 1983 World Cup winner Balvinder Singh Sandhu has stated that the BCCI should consider using “specialist fielders” to reduce injury risks for senior players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah. Sandhu stated that these senior players are crucial to India’s chances in major tournaments.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired from T20Is and Tests, while Jasprit Bumrah remains injury-prone. The selectors are looking for the next generation of all-format stars. Sharma and Kohli are expected to next appear in Team India’s three-match ODI series against Australia, starting on October 19.
Best Players Limp Into Finals Like Wounded Soldiers – Balvinder Singh Sandhu
Balvinder Singh Sandhu said that international cricket takes a physical toll on players, especially Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah. The former cricketer stated using specialist fielders to reduce fatigue and protect key players.
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“Youngsters think they are immortal until the body sends a bill. Then the smile fades, the eyes droop, and even Captain Cool looks like a tired uncle at a wedding.
“The magnets are the stars — Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah. Without them, this circus is just a cheap mela. Why kill the goose that lays the golden egg? But the Board doesn’t see it. They win IPL seasons, bilateral scraps—and lose ICC trophies. A nation starves for glory while its best players limp into finals like wounded soldiers,” wrote Sandhu in his Mid-Day column.
Nobody Buys a Ticket to See Virat Kohli Dive at Square Leg – Balvinder Singh Sandhu
Balvinder Singh Sandhu said that the BCCI should introduce specialist fielders in domestic cricket and the IPL. He added that fans come to watch batting brilliance, not fielding dives, which could risk injuries.
“Nobody buys a ticket to see Kohli dive at square leg. They come for a cover drive. Let substitutes do the fielding in domestic cricket, and remember, IPL is domestic cricket. Protect the stars, stretch their careers. However radical all this may sound, it is no rocket science, merely common sense,” Sandhu stated.
“And please stop romanticising fielding. Diving catches look good in replays. They also send men into surgery.”
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli’s Participation in ODI World Cup 2027 Uncertain
India A are scheduled to face Australia A in a three-match ODI series starting September 30. Notably, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have not been included in the squads. Both players are preparing individually for the upcoming tour of Australia. The first ODI is set to take place on October 19 in Perth.
Rohit and Kohli last played competitive cricket during the 2025 IPL season. The duo announced their retirements from Test cricket in May 2025.
They did not feature in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England. Sharma and Kohli last played an international match during the 2025 Champions Trophy, where the team secured the trophy with a victory over New Zealand in the final.
Rohit is the ODI captain, and Kohli is one of the format’s standout performers. However, their participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup is not guaranteed.
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