Robin Uthappa on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s red ball retirement: ‘I don’t know if it was a forced surrender, but it definitely didn’t seem like a natural exit’

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. (FILE photo)

Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirements in quick succession. The form of both players was dipping in the red-ball format. Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa has speculated whether both of those retirements were unnatural.

“I don’t know if it was a forced surrender, but it definitely didn’t seem like a natural exit. What the truth is, they themselves will have to share in their own time. But I don’t think it was natural,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.

“When Rohit was not scoring runs in Australia, I felt that he should take a break for six months and work on his fitness. I had no doubt in my mind that he would score runs,” he added.

However, both players decided to continue in the ODI format and have delivered some crucial knocks during the course of the Australia tour and recent home ODI series against South Africa. “In both Virat and Rohit, you can see that hunger back in their eyes, which is really cool. It’s endearing to see it from a veteran who’s been there, done that, and achieved so much in international cricket,” Uthappa said.

Both Rohit and Kohli have opted to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season. The former blitzed with a century in the opening game for Mumbai in Jaipur against Sikkim, and later scored a ton at the Centre of Excellence against Andhra Pradesh in the first round and scored 61-ball 77 against Gujarat in the 2nd.

“Kohli is arguably the best ever one-day batsman and if he’s still performing then why not,” Tim Southee, who is leading Sharjah Warriorz, told select media on the sidelines of the fourth season of the ILT20 here.

“Rohit (too) had scored 100 some days ago in Australia, so they’re still performing. So, as long as they’re still performing and still contributing to the side then I believe age is only a number,” he added.