As Indian cricket bids farewell to two of its modern greats—Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma—from the Test arena, former cricketer Yograj Singh has offered a heartfelt yet critical perspective on their retirement.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Yograj, father of former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, reflected on the massive void the two icons leave behind.
“Virat is a big player, so it will obviously be a loss,” he said, acknowledging Kohli’s stature and long-standing impact in the longest format of the game.
Drawing a parallel to India’s turbulent transition period after the 2011 World Cup, Yograj warned that history might be repeating itself.
“When many players were either removed, retired, or coerced into retirement in 2011, the team fell apart and has still not stood back up.”
While accepting that “everyone’s time comes,” Yograj insisted both Kohli and Rohit still had plenty to offer. “I feel a lot of cricket is still left in Virat and Rohit,” he said.
Reflecting on his son Yuvraj Singh’s own exit from international cricket, Yograj shared a personal regret: “I told Yuvi that it was not the right move when he was retiring. One should walk away from the field when one can no longer walk.”
Yograj was unsparing in his criticism of Indian cricket’s growing reliance on youth, warning of the perils of sidelining experience. “If you form a team full of youngsters, it will always fall apart,” he said.
He also speculated on Kohli’s possible motivations. “Maybe Virat feels that he has nothing more left to achieve,” Yograj said, suggesting inner contentment may have driven Kohli’s decision to step away.
On Rohit Sharma, Yograj was even more vocal, expressing deep frustration at what he sees as a premature retirement. “I think Rohit Sharma needed just one person to motivate him daily, for example, to go for a run at 5 AM,” he said.
He didn’t hesitate to place Rohit alongside another explosive opener who, in his view, left the game too soon, “Rohit and Virender Sehwag are two people who retired too early.”
“The greatest players should play till 50 years of age,” Yograj added. “I am sad about their retirement as no one is left to motivate the youngsters now.”
© 2025