"It puzzles me" - Former India selector shares massive remark on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli amid T20 World Cup 2026

Former chief selector of the Indian team, Sandeep Patil, revealed that he is baffled by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's decision to retire from T20I cricket but continue playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The two stalwart of Indian cricket retired from T20Is after helping the Men in Blue clinch the T20 World Cup in 2024. Earlier this year, they retired from Test cricket in the same month. However, they have been producing impressive performances in the IPL and in ODI cricket.

India are playing the ongoing T20 World Cup without Rohit and Kohli. For the first time in 19 years the Asian giants are playing an ICC event without the two former India captains.

"It puzzles me. Two greats, two legends, retire from the T20 format, but they are available to play the Indian Premier League (IPL). I don’t understand… they could have played T20 cricket for India and figured in the IPL. That would be something we all would’ve accepted."

I feel sad for Gill, but he just doesn’t find a place in this team: Sandeep Patil

Patil backed the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee's decision to snub Shubman Gill from the squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. While the 1983 World Cup winner empathised with Gill, he said that there was no one who could have been left out of the side to allow him in.

"I feel sad for Gill, but he just doesn’t find a place in this team. Who are you going to drop? While discussing selection, we only talk about players, but we should also look at combinations," said Patil (via the aforementioned source).

India started their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign with a 29-run win against a spirited USA side at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Suryakumar Yadav and Co. will return to action on Thursday, February 12, as they face Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.