New Delhi, Dec 7 (IANS) Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar spoke highly of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and shared his opinion on how crucial their presence is in the Indian team, saying that the two stalwarts’ place in the team should never have been a doubt.

Both Kohli and Rohit performed brilliantly in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa, which India won 2-1. While Rohit scored two half-centuries in three matches, registering scores of 57 and 75 in the first and third ODIs that India won, Kohli finished with 302 runs in the three games, including two centuries and an unbeaten half-century.

“I don’t think the place of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the team should have been a question. Look at what they have done over so many years. They have retired from two formats, so it’s obvious they might take just a couple of sessions to get back into action, because they have done it so often. They don’t need to play as many matches as a younger player,” Bamgar said on JioHotstar.

“Once they are there, once they are hungry and fit, you want players of that quality. You have to treat them differently and give them space. When they are on song, you see the difference. Their sheer presence changes the dressing room atmosphere. After the humiliating loss in the Test series, they must have spoken to the boys. They helped put things behind and play with freedom and authority, giving the whole team supreme confidence,” he added.

The Indian top-order performed brilliantly in the third and final ODI, helping the Men in Blue clinch the series after the bowlers did their part in restricting the Proteas to a low total in the first innings. While Rohit and Kohli notched up half-centuries, the former’s opening partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal, scored his maiden ODI ton.

In what was a memorable day for the Indian top order, Bangar praised their batting, saying, “It was a terrific batting display by all three Indian batters. They made full use of the conditions and the dew. What they missed in the first two matches, they got a better pitch here and made the most of it.

“Both, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal were restrained. They didn’t try too hard, just played themselves in. Rohit knew he won’t play an international game for 30-40 days, and Yashasvi was finding his rhythm in 50-over cricket. Then when Virat Kohli came in, he decided to give some entertainment. The fluency we saw was terrific to watch. He seems to be on top of his game.”

Sharing his thoughts on Jaiswal’s long-term potential as an opening batter, Bangar added, “More than this particular innings of Yashasvi Jaiswal, look at it from an Indian cricket point of view. He is an established Test opener. Anyone who has batted at the top knows how hard it is to be consistent in Test cricket. But if you also open in white-ball cricket, you learn to handle the ups and downs of international cricket better.

“It keeps you in touch, keeps you playing against international bowlers, and you get those vital performances. That helps you take form from one format to another. Right now, he may not play regularly with Rohit opening. But once Rohit is done, I clearly see Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill benefiting from batting in the top order in white-ball cricket. That will also help their Test cricket game.”

–IANS

vi/bc