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IPL chairman Arun Dhumal lauds Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s impact in the Australia ODI series, highlighting Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s potential.
India’s star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (AP)
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal has said that even as India’s bench strength is one to look forward to, with the likes of Vaibhav Suryavanshi waiting in the wings, one would still look ahead to the experience that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli carry, especially after their performance in the recent ODI series against Australia.
Dhumal asserted that Rohit and Kohli remain vital to India’s ODI setup and lauded Rohit’s batting masterclass against Australia, which earned him the Player of the Series award.
After struggling for rhythm in the first two defeats, Rohit and Kohli roared back in style during the successful chase of 237 in the third ODI. The former hammered an unbeaten 121, while Kohli returned to form with a composed, risk-free 74*.
“We have been talking about this bench strength of the Indian team for a long, long time. But look at this team, a 14-year-old wonder, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, he is knocking at the door to be part of the team,” Dhumal said while speaking to ANI.
“And then you have these greats like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who people think are going, but they aren’t going. They are here to stay. And the way Rohit has shown his class in this ODI series, at that age, coming as Player of the Match in the final game and then Player of the Series, that shows the kind of conviction that they carry, the kind of hard work that they put in,” Dhumal added.
The Australia series showed Rohit’s grit, determination and match-winning prowess. From a rusty single-digit score in Perth to a hard-fought 73 off 97 deliveries in Adelaide and a blistering 121* off 125 in Sydney, Rohit’s 202-run series underlined his hunger and focus.
With eyes all set on the 2027 World Cup, Rohit made it clear that no fitness or cricketing goal is beyond reach.
October 31, 2025, 23:39 IST
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