World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma are huge names and will have to perform, says Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan gun fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar reckons Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are huge names and they will have to perform in the upcoming ODI World Cup to take India to glory. Virat Kohli batted at number three and scored 443 runs in nine matches at an impressive average of 55.38 in the 2019 World Cup.

The talisman has amassed 12902 runs in 277 ODI matches at an average of 57.09 and he is regarded as one of the best ODI batters of all time.

On the other hand, Rohit Sharma top-scored in the 2019 ODI showpiece with 648 runs in nine matches at an average of 81. Rohit has scored 9922 runs in 246 ODI matches at an impressive average of 48.88 and a strike rate of 90.09.

Rohit and Kohli have all the experience under their belt and they are going to hold the key for the national team.

Shoaib Akhtar reckons India hasn’t had a settled squad in the last two years as there has been a lot of chop and change.

“But India has not been a settled squad for the past two years. It’s just a very strange thing for me because you don’t know who has to settle where. But having said that, you know, I’m all for Rohit. I’m all for Virat Kohli. I’m all for all those players, but every day you have to perform because you’ve got a name,” said Akhtar in a recent media interaction.

The Rawalpindi Express, as he was known during his heydays, added that India’s batting and bowling both looks unsettled.

“You have to be out there, you have to take command, to do things so that we don’t leave it to the youngsters. These are big names, Rohit and Virat Kohli are huge names, so they will have to perform. So, the bowling squad looks unsettled, the batting squad looks unsettled,” Akhtar added.

India will begin their World Cup campaign against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on October 8.

India’s Squad for ODI World Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah