former indian offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin I believe senior stars will be dropped Rohit Sharma swear Virat Kohli As long as they want to continue playing, it is almost impossible because of their extraordinary achievements and the huge number of fans they have.Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the backbone of Indian cricket for 15 years and as long as they continue to perform well, leaving them out of the national team will never be easy. While opportunities should be created for the next generation, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin feels that the duo enjoys a protection that bowlers rarely get.Ashwin feels that star batsmen like Rohit and Virat have unparalleled influence due to their achievements and huge fan following, while bowlers like Mohammad Shami swear Mohammad Siraj Despite their contributions, they are more likely to be discarded.Siraj last played for India in a Test match against Afghanistan at Chandigarh on June 6, 2026, while Shami last played for India in an international match against New Zealand in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final in Dubai.Speaking on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’, Ashwin said dropping Rohit is not as simple as excluding any other player, especially after the veteran opener’s recent performances. He also highlighted the long-standing inequality in Indian cricket, with star batsmen often receiving more support and recognition than bowlers.
‘No one can touch Virat or Rohit’
Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin said: “If Virat or Rohit want to continue playing, no one can touch them because they both have incredible credentials. Rohit has more than 12,000 international runs and both of them have been contributing to the Indian team. They are batsmen and they have a huge fan army. People come to the stadium to watch them play.
Ashwin shouts out for bowlers
Ashwin contrasted it with the treatment of bowlers.“If Shami hadn’t been picked, or Siraj hadn’t been picked, or Bhuvneshwar hadn’t been picked, maybe 10 people would have raised the issue, and then up to 100, 1,000 or even 10,000 people. But it wouldn’t have caused the same uproar. That’s the difference. If the bowlers also start accepting that support, they too will become unabashed. But the reality is unabashed. But the reality is unabashed or Rohit.
