'Still in experimental mode': Virat Kohli's childhood coach fires warning at Rohit Sharma-led India

Written By DNA Web Team | Updated: Mar 02, 2022, 11:57 AM IST

Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma has sent a major warning to Rohit Sharma-led India ahead of the T20I World Cup.

Team India may have sidelined West Indies and Sri Lanka with ease under Rohit Sharma's captaincy, but former Indian skipper Virat Kohli's childhood and current Delhi coach Rajkumar Sharma feels the team is still not 'fully prepared' ahead of T20I World Cup 2020. 

In many of his recent interviews, Rohit has kept mentioning how he is looking forward to forming a core ahead of the T20I World Cup slated to be held in Australia later this year. 

And India may have whitewashed West Indies and Sri Lanka 3-0 lately, but Rajkumar Sharma feels that Rohit is experimenting with his side too much. 

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Speaking on the 'Khelneeti' podcast, Sharma pointed out how the team is still under experimental mode. "I don't think the team is fully prepared, there is still a lot of preparation required. Our best XI has not even played one or two times, sometimes players are unfit or someone has been given rest," he said. 

The veteran further continued, "Sometimes Bumrah is not playing, at other times Virat Kohli is not playing, Rohit Sharma has come back after getting fit. Till the time you have a settled core XI which you will play in the first match, you are still in experimental mode."

Sharma also pointed out that until the strongest XI take to the field, then only we might know how they are performing. 

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"Rishabh Pant was not playing, Ishan Kishan was being tried in his place. Once you play your XI, then only you will come to know what are the shortcomings and where improvement is required," he added. 

For the unversed, India will play their first match at the upcoming T20I World Cup in October against Pakistan. 

Apart from this, the Rohit Sharma led side will also take on South Africa and Bangladesh, while two of their opponents will be determined through the qualifiers of the World Cup.