.jpeg?ssl=1)
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has defended Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli amid mounting speculation about the Indian captain’s future in international cricket. Ashwin said the senior batsmen are virtually unremovable due to their exceptional achievements and massive fan support.
Rohit Sharma’s position in the ODI side has become a topic of intense debate recently after reports suggested selectors might not extend his role beyond the ongoing England tour. However, the 39‑year‑old silenced his critics with a brilliant 138 at Lord’s in the third ODI, keeping India’s hopes alive while chasing 388.
Ashwin explained why the two senior batsmen occupy a unique space in Indian cricket.
“They cannot touch Virat and Rohit if they want to play. It is because of their credentials. Rohit has scored almost 12,000 runs; they cannot touch him,” Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’.
He also stressed the immense popularity of the two icons, noting that dropping them would cause a massive fan backlash.
“The other thing is, they cannot be touched because they are batters. They have an army, a battalion. People come to see them. If you drop them, it will just break the roof down,” he added.
Ashwin went on to compare the scrutiny faced by batsmen and bowlers, pointing out that bowlers rarely receive the same level of public backing when omitted.
“But if Shami, Siraj or Bhuvneshwar are not picked, 10 people will question. 100 people, 1000 people, maybe 10,000 people will question. But they won’t make noise. If a day comes when people would make noise for bowlers, it would be difficult to drop them as well,” he explained.
Rohit Sharma Answers Critics With Lord’s Masterclass
Rohit entered the series decider under intense pressure after scoring only 19 and 4 in the first two ODIs, amid growing doubts about his long‑term ODI future for India. The Indian opener responded in typical style, smashing 138 off 110 balls—containing 17 fours and five sixes—to chase a mammoth target of 388. The innings marked his 34th ODI century and made him the first Indian batsman to score a hundred at Lord’s.
