Harbhajan Singh Backs Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli For 2027 WC
Harbhajan Singh has backed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the 2027 World Cup, arguing that skill, not age, should be the decisive factor. In a podcast interview, the 46-year-old former India spinner expressed his opinion. When the event takes place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, Kohli will be 39 years old and Rohit will be 40.
Both players should be among the first two names on the tournament team, according to Harbhajan Singh’s previous pronouncements. His most recent words underscore his belief that World Cup selection should be based on ability and fitness rather than age.
“Whoever the player is, I believe the marker should be performance, not age,” Harbhajan Singh stated, as reported by Livemint.
Harbhajan Singh’s perspective on performance versus age in selection.
The former Indian cricketer used international football as an example to argue for constant greatness. He stressed that athletes with exceptional skill and fitness may compete at the highest level at any age.
“Virat Kohli may be 39 years old, but if he can still defeat those 20-year-olds on the pitch, his age is irrelevant. Look at Lionel Messi. At 40 (39), five men are unable to stop him. If a player is so fit and skilled that even five opponents can’t stop him, we know that skill always comes first,” Harbhajan added.
Kohli’s Influence on the Fitness Culture of Indian Cricket
When Kohli took over as captain in 2014-15, Harbhajan credited him with transforming India’s devotion to fitness and aggressive play. The former spinner credited Virat Kohli for implementing this move, which improved Indian teams’ physical fitness and helped them deal with challenging situations.
Before that, we will not believe we can go for a 400-meter chase on the final day. Virat encouraged the boys, ‘Let’s try. We may lose, but if we keep trying, one day we will reach that 400+ in the last innings.” Harbhajan spoke.
Harbhajan Singh discussed how athletes recognise when their bodies urge them to take a break, relying on his own professional experience. During his playing career, the former spinner took 269 ODI and 416 Test wickets.
Although he played his final Test match in 2015 at Galle, where he faced Dinesh Chandimal, he will officially retire in December 2021. According to Harbhajan, athletes often know when to retire based on their performance levels and physical condition.
