Former India pacer Munaf Patel has praised senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for their strong “India-first” approach amid ongoing discussions about their future in international cricket. Both players have already retired from Tests and T20Is but continue to remain available for One-Day Internationals.
Munaf, who was part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning squad, said the duo’s commitment to the national team remains unmatched. He suggested that Kohli and Rohit could even step away from the Indian Premier League if it ever came in the way of their international commitments, underlining that playing for India will always remain their top priority.
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The two veteran cricketers recently featured in the Vijay Hazare Trophy to maintain match fitness ahead of the upcoming ODI World Cup scheduled in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Their participation highlighted their focus on staying prepared for national duties despite managing workloads in franchise cricket.
In IPL 2026, Kohli is representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while Rohit Sharma continues to play for Mumbai Indians. Kohli has already shown strong form this season, including a key 49 off 34 balls against Lucknow Super Giants, guiding RCB to another comfortable win at home.
Rohit, however, has been dealing with fitness concerns. He suffered a hamstring issue during MI’s match against RCB and had to retire hurt after scoring 19 off 13 balls. The injury is expected to rule him out of Mumbai Indians’ next two fixtures against Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans, adding to MI’s struggles this season.
His absence comes at a difficult time for the franchise, which is already dealing with inconsistency and the delayed availability of overseas all-rounder Will Jacks.
Despite these setbacks, Munaf’s remarks have once again highlighted the respect both Kohli and Rohit command for their dedication to Indian cricket and their willingness to prioritise national duty above all else.
