(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] India’s Virat Kohli and Australia’s Steven Smith are all set to play their fourth ODI World Cup.
Both players are considered modern-day legends for their respective teams and are also part of an elusive club dubbed ‘Fab 4’. Both Kohli and Smith are 34 years old, and it is doubtful if they will continue playing white-ball cricket until the next World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in 2027 in South Africa.
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar asked the critics to stop speculating about Kohli and Smith’s future.
“We should never say things like that with people like Virat Kohli and Steve Smith because these are guys who love batting so much and are willing to put in the hard yards to keep batting forever and batting at a certain level,” said Manjrekar on Star Sports ahead of the game between India and Australia
Manjrekar signed off by saying, “So, yes, Virat Kohli, 50 overs is his format. Steve Smith as well. Doesn’t fit perfectly in T20 cricket, but these are guys who are very good in that middle section when the game seems a little flat and boring. But this is the phase of the game that decides the fate of the game, and that’s where Steve Smith and Virat Kohli are invaluable for the side.”
Smith has featured in 24 World Cup games for Australia, in which he scored 834 runs with an average of 46.33, including eight fifties and a century. This hundred was achieved on the big stage against India in the 2015 World Cup semi-final.
On the other hand, Kohli has played in 26 ODI World Cup matches, accumulating 1,030 runs with an average of 46.81, thanks to six fifties and a couple of centuries.