Sadagopan Ramesh hails Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after 1st ODI against South Africa

Former Indian opening batter Sadagopan Ramesh has showered praise on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for their crucial contribution in the opening ODI against South Africa at the JSCA International Sports Complex, Ranchi on Sunday after the hosts registered a 17-run win. 

While Rohit scored a decent knock of 57 runs, Kohli scored a match-winning knock of 135 runs off just 120 balls. This was the 52nd ODI century for Virat Kohli as he went on to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most centuries in a single format. Thus, both the batters played a key role in helping India post 349 runs on the board after the hosts were put into bat.

Ramesh said on his Instagram handle, “It’s all action and no talk the way Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are batting in ODIs. These two don’t deliver through words but with their actions. Once Rohit Sharma scored a century in the final ODI in Australia, everybody knew a Virat Kohli hundred was loading in the next series. The two centuries in India’s last two ODIs have come from India’s two best talents – Rohit and Virat.”

The former flamboyant left-hander said it is pivotal that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma play with joy for the rest of their respective careers.

“It’s imperative that Rohit and Virat play with joy the rest of their careers. And for Kohli it’s like everyday morning he wakes up and asks if some record is on the way. Now he has become the highest centurion in a single format with 52. Likewise, Rohit for his part broke a record of his own by becoming the highest six-hitter in ODIs.”

The former southpaw expressed his surprise over questions regarding Rohit and Virat’s place in the team.

“Whenever there have been questions over Rohit and Virat playing the 2027 World Cup, the doubters say Rohit will be 40 and Virat Kohli 39 then, so only performance will decide it despite these two having delivered so many performances in their careers.”

Ramesh said the selectors should keep performance as the only criterion for selection for every player.

“While performance as the yardstick is fine, in the same breath, if you ask the same questions about a youngster, they say he’ll definitely play and even captain the side as he’s a youngster. Which means for some players, age is the measuring stick but for legends like Rohit and Virat, it’s performance. That is totally unfair. Keep performance as the criteria for everyone. If you do, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be at the top,” said Ramesh (via the aforementioned source).

The second ODI between India and South Africa will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur on Wednesday.