'Former Teammate Calls for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to Pursue Olympic Gold Despite T20I Retirement'

His remarks come as Kohli and Rohit continue to play crucial roles in India's journey at the 2025 Champions Trophy. They propelled India into the final with a dominant victory over Australia in Dubai on Tuesday.

Since their T20I retirements following India’s victorious 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, questions about their future in ODIs and Tests have persisted. With cricket set to be played in the Olympics in T20 format, Sreesanth believes Kohli and Rohit should aim for the grand stage in Los Angeles. Both, however, have already retired from the format.

“Everybody’s talking about Virat and you know Rohit might be retiring. Please let them keep playing. We are going to win the Olympics because there is nothing like an Olympian Virat and Olympian Rohit winning the gold medal for the country,” Sreesanth told India Today.

While it remains uncertain whether the duo will be part of the 2028 Olympics squad, their contributions to Indian cricket continue to be invaluable. Kohli played a brilliant knock in the semi-final against Australia, scoring a match-winning 84 that sealed a final berth for the side.

Team spirit

Apart from backing Kohli and Rohit for the Olympics, Sreesanth also lauded the current Indian team’s camaraderie, crediting their on-field ‘brotherhood’ as a crucial strength.

“The best thing about the team right now, I will tell you, is that they are so humble and they are cooperative, and I think the brotherhood we can see on the field. I think that’s the strength of the team,” he remarked.

The former pacer also commended head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma for their leadership in the Champions Trophy, stating that their combined approach has been instrumental in guiding the team through the high-stakes tournament.

With India securing their spot in the final, they now await the winner of the semi-final clash between New Zealand and South Africa. The highly anticipated final is scheduled for March 9 in Dubai.

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