Former Indian all-rounder Sanjay Bangar is optimistic that Virat Kohli will continue playing Test cricket for another five years. Bangar, who has observed Kohli from close quarters as a coach, said the red-ball format will be the last form of the game from which Kohli will retire.
The former Indian captain recently decided to call time on his T20I career after the T20 World Cup triumph at Barbados. Kohli, who was not on song throughout the campaign, scored a match-winning 76 in the final against South Africa.
Meanwhile, Kohli has many times said that Test cricket is his favorite format as it challenges him for five days. Kohli has amassed 8848 runs in 113 Test matches at an average of 49.16 and he is still fit as a fiddle despite turning 35 last year.
Sanjay Bangar said on Rao podcast, “The players’ careers are going to get longer, and in that process, if it benefits the Indian team, nothing like it. Even with Virat, depends on his body. The last format that he would give up away will be Test cricket. So, I am sure that you will see Virat playing Test cricket for another five years.”
Giving Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar’s examples, Bangar reckons Kohli can play until he is 40.
“I think Rohit will continue to play as long as his body and fitness allows him to. Because a player of that quality – Sachin played till 40, even Rahul played till 40 – with better fitness standards, more professionals are looking after players. Like a lot of nutritionists also are helping,” Sanjay Bangar added.
Bangar also feels Rohit Sharma wouldn’t have retired if India had won the 2023 ODI World Cup.
“I would have still believed that because he is leading the team, and he has tasted success now – India still wants to win the World Test Championship – there is something to look forward to. In today’s time and age, the World Cup in happening every second year, or every year you have an ICC tournament. I don’t think that would have been a factor. India winning the World Cup doesn’t mean that Rohit is going to walk away,” said Sanjay Bangar.
Kohli and Rohit will be in action in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting 19th September.
