Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif he has protected Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also looking at their future, saying that India’s desire to replace experienced players with youngsters because they can hit sixes is the wrong way to go. The debate resumed after Rohit and Kohli endured a disappointing performance in India’s opening ODI against England at Edgbaston on Tuesday. Although India won, no major took part in the war. Returning to international cricket, Rohit managed 11 off 21 balls before being dismissed by Sam Curran, while Jofra Archer he trapped Kohli lbw for just five. The result, marked a turnaround for India, who entered the ODI series after a 2-0 whitewash in Ireland and a 4-0 defeat in the T20I series against England. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Kaif said successful teams are built on the right balance between youth and experience rather than just bringing in young players. “A wrong trend is going on, where the main point is to bring in youngsters because they are hitting sixes. But a good and successful team has a combination of youth and experience,” Kaif said. The former striker also pointed to football pictures Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messiboth continue to represent their countries even though they are 40 years old. “If you look at Ronaldo and Messi, they are 40 years old and still playing for their country in the fast game. If they are fit and have the ability to prepare, then why are we so many years old playing cricket?” Kaif asked. Rohit has been under a lot of pressure after a lean run in the 50-over format. The Indian captain took only one wicket in seven ODI innings in 2026, while Yashasvi Jaiswal has strengthened his case with two centuries in his last three ODI appearances. With Jaiswal waiting in the wings, the rest of England’s line-up should have a lot of interest in India’s long-awaited opener, as Kaif has urged the selectors to respect talent along with youth.
