'They cannot touch Virat and Rohit' - Ravichandran Ashwin makes bold statement amid retirement speculation

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has come out in support of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli amid growing speculation surrounding the Indian captain's future in international cricket. Ashwin stated that the two senior batters cannot be dropped easily because of their remarkable achievements and the massive fan following they enjoy.

Rohit's place in the ODI setup has been the subject of intense discussion in recent days after reports suggested that the selectors were unlikely to consider him beyond

the ongoing England tour. However, the 39-year-old silenced his critics with a magnificent 138 in the third ODI at Lord's, helping India stay in the contest during a daunting chase of 388.

Ashwin explained why Rohit and Kohli occupy a unique position in Indian cricket.

"They cannot touch Virat and Rohit if they want to play. It is because of their credentials. Rohit has scored almost 12,000 runs; they cannot touch him," Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.

The veteran off-spinner also highlighted the immense popularity of the two batting icons, saying their absence from the Indian team would create a massive uproar among fans.

"The other thing is, they cannot be touched because they are batters. They have an army, a battalion. People come to see them. If you drop them, it will just break the roof down," he also said.

Ashwin went on to compare the scrutiny faced by batters and bowlers, pointing out that bowlers rarely receive the same level of public backing when they are left out of the side.

"But if Shami, Siraj or Bhuvneshwar are not picked, 10 people will question. 100 people, 1000 people, maybe 10,000 people will question. But they won't make noise. If a day comes when people would make noise for bowlers, it would be difficult to drop them as well," Ashwin explained.

Rohit Sharma answers critics with Lord's masterclass

Rohit entered the series decider under immense pressure after scores of 19 and 4 in the first two ODIs. Questions over his future only intensified following reports linking him with a possible exit from India's long-term ODI plans.

The Indian opener, however, responded in trademark fashion. Chasing a mammoth target of 388, Rohit smashed 138 off 110 deliveries, striking 17 fours and five sixes. The knock was his 34th ODI century and saw him become the first Indian batter to score an ODI hundred at Lord's.