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Former Australia skipper Steve Waugh has urged Team India's senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to play the Ranji Trophy. He remarked that the star players' presence will elevate the level of domestic cricket in the country.
Kohli and Sharma are currently active in just one international format, ODIs. The two ex-captains have already retired from T20Is and Test cricket. He suggested that the seasoned campaigners should consider taking part in domestic cricket games to groom the youngsters.
Waugh said during an interview with Revsportz:
"In India, I think they should play the Ranji Trophy more. Not for the fact that it's workload, it's more, you know, keeping the cricket strong and giving encouragement to the younger players and getting them prepared for the next level.
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"When they play, all of a sudden, the competition is lifted, the standards get higher. So, they have a responsibility to go back and play at that domestic level as well. If they are playing for their country, then playing a couple of games for their states is not going to impact them too much. So, I'd encourage them to do that."
India's recently concluded three-match away ODI series against Australia marked Kohli and Sharma's return to international cricket after a 220-day absence. While the Men in Blue lost the series 1-2, Sharma's form was a big positive for them.
The opening batter amassed 202 runs across three innings and was named the Player of the Series. He played a stunning 121*-run knock from 125 balls in the third ODI.
Kohli, on the other hand, was dismissed for ducks in the first two games. He redeemed himself with a half-century in the final fixture, remaining unbeaten on 74 off 81 deliveries.
The two added 168 runs for the second wicket, helping the visitors end the series with a consolation win.
"It will take a different mindset"- Steve Waugh on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma playing just one format
During the same interview, Steve Waugh also discussed the difficulties of playing just one format. However, he emphasized that "all-time greats" Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were capable of adapting to the challenge.
The cricketer-turned-commentator said:
"It is a bit of a different scenario, and it will take a different mindset. But those guys are seasoned professionals and all-time great players. So, they'll be able to adapt and modify their game to the situation."
Waugh pointed out that Kohli and Sharma looked in ominous touch during the third ODI against Australia. He suggested that their ODI future will depend on their motivation to continue. He added:
"You saw in Sydney how well they played. They took control of the match and won it for India. So, they're still more than capable, I guess. The question is, have they got the hunger to keep training and preparing? That's the hard bit. Playing the game is actually easy. It's just the preparation. If they're struggling to get motivation for training, then it's a sign that you probably shouldn't be there."
Kohli and Sharma are expected to play in India's upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa. The series begins on November 30 in Ranchi.
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