Former India player Mohammad Kaif has come out in support of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma amid speculations about their future in the fifty-over format, saying the team is focusing on replacing senior players with youngsters because they can hit big shots is not the right approach.

The debate once again started after Kohli and Rohit’s poor returns in the first ODI against England at Edgbaston on July 14. Despite India’s win by 6 wickets, the two senior players struggled with the bat.

Playing his first international match after the Afghanistan series, Rohit amassed 11 runs off 21 balls before Sam Curran dismissed him. On the other hand, Kohli managed just 5. The result, however, went in India’s favor, bringing much-needed relief to the team after losing two consecutive T20I series against Ireland and England.

Speaking on Cricbuzz, Kaif said that teams achieve success because of the right combination of young and experienced players rather than an obsession with adding younger players to the squad.

“We are following a wrong trend of bringing in youth because they hit big sixes. But a successful team is made with the help of young and experienced players,” Kaif said.

The former batter gave the examples of football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, both of whom are still playing for their countries despite approaching the age of 40.

“Ronaldo and Messi are around the 40-year mark, and they are still playing for their countries in fast-paced sports like football. If they are fit to play and have the skills, why are they discussing the age in cricket?”

Rohit Sharma is under pressure after not being able to score runs consistently in the only format he plays in international cricket. He has hit just one fifty in seven ODI innings in 2026, while Yashasvi Jaiswal is knocking on the door of the selectors after accumulating two hundreds in his last three ODIs.

With Jaiswal in the fray, the remaining two matches in the England series will impact Team India’s opening combination, even as Kaif has urged the national selection panel to give value to the experienced stars alongside young cricketers.