Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has asserted that people are trying to bring down India batting legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as both are in the final phase of their careers. In the recently
concluded ODI series in Australia, both Rohit (8 off 14) and Kohli (0 off 8) got dismissed in single-digit scores in the first game held in Perth. In the second ODI, Kohli again dismissed on a duck again but Rohit scored a half-century. Virat received criticism for his performance but Rohit also faced a backlash for his strike-rate. However, captain Shubman Gill defended the 38-year-old and shut the former skipper’s critics.
Noting constant censure of Rohit Sharma and Kohli, de Villiers slammed the critics of the two legends. "I don't what it is about people. I don't know if I can call them people. Cockroaches climbing out of their holes as soon as players get towards the backend of their careers. Why? Why do you want to pour negative energy into players that have given their lives for their country and this beautiful game of cricket. This is the perfect time to celebrate them. They have taken a lot of criticism in the last few months. Everyone is just trying to push them down for what reason I have no idea," said de Villiers on his YouTube channel.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s next assignment in November-December
Both Rohit and Virat Kohli end their Australia ODI series on a high note and their supporters will want them to hammer bowlers in the upcoming 50-over series against South Africa. India will host the Proteas from November 30 to December 6 and captain Shubman Gill, who will look to win his first ODI series as skipper, is going to expect the veterans to be at their best.
Kohli’s last ODI match against South Africa was in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. At the iconic Eden Gardens, the right-handed batter struck an exemplary ton and equalled legend Sachin Tendulkar’s record 49 hundreds.
