Australian batter Travis Head has praised Indian cricket stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of the first ODI in Perth on Sunday. He acknowledged them as two of the best white-ball players, with Kohli being considered the greatest and Rohit following closely behind.The upcoming cricket series between India and Australia includes three ODIs and five T20Is. The ODI matches are scheduled for Sunday, October 23, and October 25, followed by T20Is from October 29 to November 8. The 2027 World Cup will take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
“They have been awesome for India, probably Axar can speak more highly about them than myself. But two quality players, two of the best white-ball players. Virat is probably the greatest white-ball player. Rohit is not that far behind,” Travis Head told the reporters.“Someone who opens the batting. I have huge regard for what Rohit has been able to do. I am sure they will be missed at some stage, but I think they both are going until 2027. They both are trying to get to the World Cup. It is great for the game that they are still playing,” he added.Head expressed admiration for Sharma’s batting approach and considers him one of the best players. He values the opportunity to learn from Rohit’s game, particularly since they both share the opener’s position.“It’s nice just watching from a far from someone who plays the game in a similar way, I think, and having played a lot against him in IPL and a lot of international cricket against him, I feel like he goes the right way about things. Having someone to open the batting in a similar position, why not watch the best and learn from the best?”Indian all-rounder Axar Patel showed confidence in both Kohli and Rohit’s abilities for the upcoming series.“They are world-class players. They know what to do, and they are ready to go. They are professionals and they know what to do. They are ready to go. If you speak about their form, they have been preparing well, hence I think they are ready. Everyone has given their fitness Test, they are raring to go now,” he said.Both players will return to wearing the Indian jersey for the first time since the ICC Champions Trophy Final this year.Rohit and Kohli have shown exceptional performance since India’s last bilateral series against Australia before the 2023 ODI World Cup.Rohit has scored 1,137 runs in 23 ODIs at an average of 49.43 and a strike rate of 123.45. His record includes two centuries and seven fifties, with a highest score of 131.During the 2023 World Cup at home, Rohit finished as the second-highest run-scorer with 597 runs in 11 innings. He maintained an average of 54.27 with one century and three fifties, striking at over 125.In the undefeated ICC Champions Trophy campaign, Rohit contributed 180 runs in five innings, including a crucial 76 in the final against New Zealand.Virat Kohli has accumulated 1,154 runs in 22 matches during this period. He maintains an average of 64.11 with a strike rate of 88.56, including four centuries and nine fifties, with his highest score being 117.
