‘Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can…’: Anil Kumble’s message to Shubman Gill

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill (Photo AFP) NEW DELHI: Former India captain Anil Kumble believes the experience of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be crucial to India’s title chances at the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying the veteran duo can play a major role in supporting skipper Shubman Gill in high-pressure moments in the big tournament.Kumble also praised Gill’s leadership during IPL 2026. He highlighted Gill’s ability to manage resources effectively while continuing to score runs consistently. “In the IPL, we saw him spin the bowlers well, use the spinners at the right time and handle pressure situations with aplomb. His form with the bat has not dipped,” Kumble said on JioStar.Gill enjoyed an outstanding IPL 2026 campaign, guiding Gujarat Titans to the final before losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru to clinch their second consecutive IPL title. The India captain finished as the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer with 732 runs in 16 matches at an average of 45.75 and a strike rate of 163.02, including one century and six half-centuries.Kumble feels that Gill will benefit greatly from having Rohit and Kohli around him in the ODI setup.“They (Virat and Rohit) can guide him with field placement, bowling changes and key tactical decisions. Shubman doesn’t have to carry the burden alone,” Kumble said.Both Rohit and Kohli retired from T20Is and Test cricket and now play only ODI cricket for India. Their World Cup records underline why Kumble values ​​their presence in the team.In the 2019 ODI World Cup, Rohit finished as the tournament’s top run-scorer with 648 runs in nine matches at an average of 81.00, including five centuries and a fifty. He became the first batsman in World Cup history to score five hundreds in one edition.Meanwhile, Kohli dominated the ODI World Cup 2023, scoring a record 765 runs in 11 innings. He surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record of 673 runs in a single World Cup and was named player of the tournament.

Should Shubman Gill lead the Indian ODI team based on his IPL performance?

Kumble supports Prince YadavKumble also welcomed young pacer Prince Yadav’s selection in India’s ODI squad, saying the fast bowler has earned his opportunity due to his brilliant performances in domestic cricket and the IPL.“His variety, cutters, slower balls and yorkers make him an all-round bowler,” Kumble said.