Amit Mishra Urges Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli To Play Domestic Cricket

Amit Mishra advised Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to stay match-fit by playing domestic cricket and praised Shubman Gill.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s much-awaited return to international cricket ended in disappointment at Perth on Sunday. While Rohit managed a scratchy 8, Kohli was dismissed for a duck after Australia chose to bowl first in the first ODI.

The pair, now retired from Tests and T20Is, are focusing solely on ODIs. However, with the next ODI World Cup still two years away, questions have surfaced regarding their future in the format, especially given their advancing age.

To remain in rhythm and maintain form, former India spinner Amit Mishra believes both players must actively participate in competitive cricket, particularly in the domestic circuit.

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“They (Rohit and Kohli) have to be match-fit,” Mishra told news agency ANI. “I know everyone does fitness these days. Everyone knows how important fitness is for Indian teams. They must be doing it. They are doing it, and it is visible. But match fitness is different. Match fitness and match awareness are the levels of playing the match. They have to play that.”

Mishra expressed hope that the senior duo would continue performing well enough to feature in the next ODI World Cup.

“I am worried about their performance as they are senior players. I hope we get them in the World Cup. It is a long time, but they have to maintain their match fitness. If they get a chance to play in domestic cricket, it is good for them and for the Indian team as well,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mishra also spoke about India’s new ODI skipper, Shubman Gill, who took over leadership from Rohit Sharma. He praised Gill for his composure and maturity under pressure.

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“The best thing about him is that he is calm and leading from the front after the captaincy. Normally, a lot of people come under pressure and there is no performance, but he is handling it well. That is the best thing, and he is performing well. I think he is happy with the captaincy and is not under any pressure,” Mishra said.