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Kohli, Rohit In Domestic? Ex-Selector Warns Ajit Agarkar: ‘Don’t Mess With…’ | Cricket News
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MSK Prasad fires a sharp warning at Ajit Agarkar — don’t “mess with the minds” of giants like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma by pushing them into domestic cricket.
Ajit Agarkar (L) has been warned to be careful about managing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s future.
(PC: PTI, AFP)
Former India chief selector MSK Prasad has warned the incumbent, Ajit Agarkar, of ‘not messing’ with the ‘minds of such big players’ like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma by pushing them to play domestic cricket. Prasad said when he was the selector, they never brought this issue up with MS Dhoni.
Like Dhoni’s during Prasad’s era, Kohli and Rohit’s future has become a huge talking point under Agarkar. The chief selector could be credited for softening the blow of their exits in Test cricket initially, but now the team is struggling, and his selections, along with Gautam Gambhir’s coaching, are being criticised.
Moreover, Kohli and Rohit are seemingly fighting hard to make it to the 2027 World Cup squad, even though they would be among the few 39 or 40-year-olds to play the marquee tournament. Publicly, Agarkar has given his support to the legends, saying that they are not on ‘trial’ every match they play, but media reports have suggested that the BCCI wants the duo to play domestic cricket in their time away from internationals.
“One should be careful that the issue is not brought up all the time. We never had a word with Dhoni about playing domestic cricket. He played whenever he felt it was necessary. There should be clear communication up front. Or else, stick to the perform-or-perish policy. There should not be any scope for ambiguity,” Prasad told The Times of India.
“First thing that needs to be ensured is that you shouldn’t be messing with the minds of such big players. They are the ones who are performing, not the younger lot. It will be ideal if they play domestic cricket when they are not on national duty, because that will also inspire the young players in the state teams,” he added.
To their credit, Rohit and Kohli have ensured the noise around their selection remains minimal. The former was the Player of the Series against Australia last month, while the latter scored a commanding century against South Africa in the first ODI of the three-match series on Sunday.
Interestingly, Kohli even mentioned how he has never been big on extra preparation, while speaking after the match.
December 02, 2025, 17:19 IST
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