New Delhi [India], January 22: Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif has lavished praise on Indian cricket legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, describing them as “great white-ball cricketers.” Kaif made these remarks in a video shared on his YouTube channel, where he also emphasized the importance of both players for India in the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Kohli, who made his ODI debut in 2008 against Sri Lanka, has since accumulated 13,906 runs from 295 matches at an impressive average of 58.18 and a strike rate of 93.54. Rohit, who debuted in ODIs in 2007 against Ireland, has scored 10,866 runs in 265 matches, with an average of 49.16 and a strike rate of 92.43.
Kaif noted that, with both players in their late 30s, their playing careers are limited, but their experience will be invaluable for Team India in the Champions Trophy. “You need Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rohit is 37 and Kohli is 36. They aren’t going to play for much longer, so we should support them. They are two exceptional white-ball players. I believe they will contribute significantly to the Champions Trophy. If they perform well, India will win matches in Dubai. Rohit provides a quick start, and Virat capitalizes on that,” Kaif said.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be held from February 19 to March 9, will see India playing their matches in Dubai as part of a hybrid model. The tournament will feature eight teams and 15 50-over matches, held across Pakistan and Dubai. The marquee match between India and Pakistan will take place on February 23, with India opening their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20. Their final group-stage match will be against New Zealand on March 2.
India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 includes: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja.