Ravi Shastri did not mince his words while calling out decision makers in Indian cricket over the mistreatment of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as the legendary duo continue to be the world’s best batters in ODI cricket and remain on course to play the 2027 World Cup.
Post their retirement from Test cricket having quit T20Is last year, there were major doubts over the veteran star’s ODI future. The speculation grew after reports claimed that the team management does not see both in the plans for the 2027 World Cup, despite both playing a key role in the 2025 Champions Trophy win.
In recent days, BCCI, as well as chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir, have faced criticism for how Virat and Rohit have been handled. Shastri opened up on the recent events and claimed that those who are troubling the Indian cricket legends are to be wary of their position and hailed their greatness in white-ball cricket.
“These two are grandfathers. White-ball giants, toh aise players ke saath aap masti mat karo yaar (don’t needle them). Agar unka dimaag theek ho gaya na, and sahi button dabaaye na, sab aaju-baaju nikal jayenge (If their brains get fixed and they press the right button, everyone will run for cover,” said Shastri in the teaser of an upcoming interview with Prabhat Khabar.
Who Is Behind Rohit and Virat’s mistreatment?
On being asked, who are those people who are doing ‘masti’ with them? The Indian former head coach replied ‘Karne waale kar rahe hain. Agar unka dimaag theek ho gaya na aur sahi bata daba diya, to sab aaju baaju nikal jayenge’ (“Some people are doing it. And if these two switch on properly, hit the right buttons, all the ones messing around will disappear from the scene real quick),” Shastri added.
Many had claimed that Rohit and Virat would play their last ODI series in Australia in October. However, the duo have let their bat do the talking. In the five ODIs since, Virat has scored two centuries and a half-century while Rohit has one century and three half-centuries.