Ajit Agarkar defends Rohit and Kohli from constant criticism after games

Senior Indian batting stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be "assessed" but it would be "silly" to put them on trial in each and every ODI that they play from hereon, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said on Friday.

On the eve of their return to international cricket against Australia after a seven-month gap, speculation is rife that the two former skippers will be judged on a series to series basis going into the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

"It will be silly to put them on trial for every game. Once they start playing they will be assessed but they are not on trial," Agarkar said at the 'NDTV World Summit'.

Reiterating what he said in Ahmedabad after announcing Shubman Gill as new ODI skipper a couple of weeks back, Agarkar once again avoided committing on their selection for an event which is still two years away.

"It doesn't mean if they don't get runs in Australia, they would be dropped and similarly if they score three tons in Australia, they would be selected for 2027 World Cup," the former pacer said. 

Agarkar also clarified that it was Kohli and Rohit, who had decided to quit Test cricket and the selection committee would have been happy to have their experience.

"If any place where we would have liked experience is England. Both are stalwarts and they had approached us. And once they have decided, you have got to respect their decision," Agarkar said.

The former Mumbai speedster, who is known for his plain-speak also made it clear that Mohammed Shami wasn't selected for the England series because he wasn't fit and his general match fitness hasn't been up to the scratch in the last six to eight months.

Shami, prior to Bengal's Ranji Trophy match against Uttarakhand, had expressed his anguish at being overlooked for the upcoming ODIs against Australia, stating that if he is fit for Ranji Trophy, he might as well have also played 50-over cricket.

"If Shami was here, I would give him an answer. If he is fit, why wouldn't we have a bowler like Shami? I have had multiple chats with him. Over the last six to eight months, what we have found out is that he wasn't fit. He wasn't fit to be picked for England tour," Agarkar asserted.

In his time, he had never picked up the phone and called a national selector but times have changed and Agarkar said he often gets calls from young players when they are not selected.

"One thing is there. They get 100 per cent honesty from me," he added.