New Delhi [India], December 19 : Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan believes India's veteran batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli still have the hunger inside them to keep performing, despite their achievements.
Dhawan also believes both Rohit and Virat remain significant assets to the team, leading from the front and inspiring younger players.
He pointed to Hitman's recent 100 and his performance on the Australia tour last month. Sharma and Kohli have retired from T20Is (post-2024 World Cup win) and Tests (earlier this year), and are active only in the 50-over format.
Ro-Ko ended as the top two run-getters for India in ODIs this year, with Virat making 651 runs in 13 matches and innings at an average of 65.10, with three centuries and four fifties, with a best score of 135 and a SR of over 96.
On the other hand, Rohit scored 650 runs in 14 innings at an average of 50.00 and a strike rate of over 100, with two centuries and four fifties and a best score of 121*.
"Absolutely. He recently scored a hundred and performed well in Australia. Players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have achieved so much, and they will step away only when they feel the hunger is gone. They are great assets, and youngsters continue to learn from them as they still lead from the front," Dhawan said at Backstage with Boria, to Boria Majumdar.
Kohli also secured the second spot in the latest ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings earlier this month while Hitman remained at the top. Kohli closed in on the top spot once again following his superb recent efforts for India in the three-match ODI series against South Africa. The 37-year-old was adjudged Player of the Series for his 302 runs across the three matches.
While Rohit amassed 146 runs across the Proteas series to hold on to his spot at the top of the rankings, Kohli closed to within eight rating points on the back of his unbeaten innings of 65 not out in the series finale in Visakhapatnam.