'2 months of IPL, then 10 games in 10 months': Ex-cricketer questions Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma choices; says 'playing very little'

NEW DELHI: Former India opener Aakash Chopra has raised questions over the decisions taken by star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma regarding their international careers, even as he backed the duo to push until the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra expressed surprise at the duo's choices to retire from Test cricket while continuing to feature in ODIs. Kohli and Rohit had earlier stepped away from T20Is following India's triumphant 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, and later ended their Test careers before the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Both of them can push it till the World Cup. Since the 2027 World Cup is in South Africa, experience and skills will be needed. Again, that's also a bridge too far, but both have realistic chances till the 2027 World Cup. However, they are playing less cricket, and I don't like that,” Chopra said.He added that quitting Tests had significantly reduced their game time. “I feel they should have been playing more cricket. They would have played a lot of cricket had they kept playing Tests. I don't know why they have left Tests and are playing ODIs, and have left T20Is too. Two months of IPL and then 10 matches in 10 months. Personally, I don't understand this,” he remarked.Chopra was also asked about how Kohli's legacy will ultimately be judged. “I think batting records. In impact as a leader, he hasn't lifted any ICC trophy. ICC trophies are remembered. It's good when you win the Test mace, or the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but the novelty fades when the next team also wins,” he explained.Reflecting further, Chopra noted India's near misses under Kohli's leadership. “Of course, they won under Virat's captaincy for the first time, but then they won again. We drew the series in South Africa, didn't win in England. We have won a few tournaments, but not the big ICC events, whether T20 or ODI World Cup,” he said.