“Stay fit and keep playing as long as you are enjoying the game” – Kapil Dev on when Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma should retire

India’s former World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev feels Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should keep playing as long as they are enjoying the game. The veteran duo recently retired from the T20I format after guiding the team to glory in the World Cup.

However, the talismanic pair will continue playing in the Indian Premier League. While Rohit Sharma scored 257 runs in the T20I showpiece, Kohli scored a match-winning knock of 76 runs off 59 balls in the final against South Africa after having a quiet tournament.

But the experienced batters could not deliver in the opening Test match against Bangladesh in Chennai. Rohit returned with scores of 6 and 5 whereas Kohli registered scores of 6 and 17 at the Chepauk. Kohli decided not to go for the review in the second innings despite getting an edge before the ball hit his front pad.

Kapil Dev said on MyKhel, “Ravi Shastri retired at a very early age while Sachin Tendulkar had a longer stint. So it is completely up to the individual to decide their ways of life. My way of thinking is to stay fit and keep playing as long as you are enjoying the game.”

Dev reckons the longevity of a player’s career depends on their fitness after the age of 34 years.

“In my opinion, the period between 26 and 34 years is your prime and thereafter the fitness of the players will ensure their longevity.”

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have delivered consistently for the team in the last decade and they have been the consistent performers across all formats.

The second Test match between India and Bangladesh will be played at Green Park, Kanpur from September 27.