India will take time to fill void of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, says BCCI president Roger Binny

New Delhi: Despite an abundance of talent due to the Indian Premier League, India would still take time to replace retiring superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in T20 cricket, BCCI president Roger Binny said.

Skipper Rohit and superstar batter Kohli announced their retirements after helping India won the T20 World Cup on Saturday. India beat South Africa by seven runs in Bridgetown to lift their second T20 World Cup title and first ICC trophy since 2013.

Kohli was the player of the final as he was the highest scores with 76 runs while Rohit could manage only 9 after his successive half centuries helped India reach the title round.

“There is so much talent in the IPL. Lot of cricketers are coming through but it is going to take some time to bridge the gap (after retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from T20Is),” Binny said in a media interaction after the final.

“They have contributed so much. It’s going to take time. We will probably see in the next two-three years, the team coming back into it’s own without them,” he added.

Rohit left the T20I format as the leading scorer with 4231 runs in 159 matches, including five centuries and 32 fifties while Kohli managed 4188 runs in 125 T20I matches, with a century.

Both the right hand batters will continue to represent India in ODIs and Tests apart from playing franchise cricket in IPL.

Binny was part of India’s 1983 ODI World Cup winning team said after that victory the team were never considered underdogs.

“In 1983, we went as underdogs. But after that, that tag was taken off us. Whenever we go into World Cup, people expect India to win. No one is taking us lightly anymore,” the all-rounder said.

Binny remained tightlipped on former opener Gautam Gambhir being the front runner to become the next India head coach ith Rahul Dravid departing following the T20 World Cup triumph.

“Nothing concrete has come yet. Gautam Gambhir has a lot of experience. He has worked with teams. He played Test matches, ODIs, T20s. Let’s see,” he said.

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 Retiring superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli mande an immense contribution for India in T20Is, says BCCI president Roger Binny  Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today