“Virat Kohli Tried To…”: Rohit Sharma’s Big ‘Intent’ Remark On Former Captain’s Golden Duck

Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma marked their T20I return in the 3-match series against Afghanistan, making a case for themselves for T20 World Cup 2024 squad selection. While Rohit redeemed himself in the 3rd T20I with a century, after incurring back-to-back ducks in the first two matches, Virat scored a solitary 16-ball 29 in the 2nd match before departing for a duck in the third. Though Kohli’s runs with the bat might not have impressed many, his ‘intent’ certainly left a mark on the skipper Rohit.

In a chat with the broadcaster after the 3rd T20I in Bengaluru, Rohit highlighted how important was the intent of Kohli and Sanju Samson even though they both were dismissed for ducks.

“We only need to give the players clarity to the players about their position and the manner of cricket we want them to play with. The boys know what to expect when they come out onto the ground. As you saw today, Kohli tried to go hard from the word go, he normally does not do that, but he showed the intent. Same with Samson, he was out first ball, but the intent was there,” Rohit said in a chat on Jio Cinema.

The India skipper was also asked about the journey from ODI World Cup heartbreak to the point where he stands right now. Rohit was quick to assert that the 50-over World Cup is the pinnacle for him but he is keen to get his hands on the T20 World Cup trophy.

“See, I don’t want to think about that right now. The 50-over World Cup is the ultimate prize for me, it’s not like I don’t regard the T20 World Cup and the Test Championship as important events. I grew up watching the ODI World Cup, and when it happens in India, the vibe is unmatched. We tried our best, but unfortunately, we could not win. The entire team was upset, and I am sure the people were quite angry as well. But now, we have an opportunity to win the T20 World Cup, and hopefully we win it,” Rohit added.