Indian captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged the difficulty of choosing the team’s wicketkeeper-batter for ODIs, with both KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant being strong candidates. His comments came ahead of the first One-Day International between Sri Lanka and India, scheduled to be played in Colombo on August 2nd.

He emphasized that each player brings unique skills to the team, calling them “match-winners” in their own right.

Rishabh Pant last played an ODI in November 2022 against New Zealand, while KL Rahul led India to an ODI series win in South Africa earlier this year.

“It’s a tough call (wicketkeeper-batter between Rahul and Pant) to make. Both are quality players, and you know the abilities of both players. They are match-winners in their own way. They have won a lot of games for us in the past,” Rohit said during his pre-match press conference, as reported by PTI.

Rohit expressed a preference for having multiple quality options rather than facing a shortage.

“It is not easy to pick a team or a player when you have quality like that. It is always nice to have problems like that while picking the teams, so you know that there is quality in the squad. I look forward to these kinds of problems while I am the captain,” he said.

Rohit also mentioned that the management has fostered a supportive environment in the locker room, allowing players to focus on their game without fear or uncertainty.

“The most important thing is to allow the freedom to players so that they can perform without pressure. It is our job to create that environment. Yes, we have already established that environment for players to come here and play freely. They do not need to worry too much about their performance or results. If you are playing the game the team wants you to play, then we are more than happy,” he added.

Rohit praised Suryakumar Yadav, his successor as India’s T20I captain, for his commendable performance in his first full series.

“It’s early days (in his captaincy); I don’t want to talk too much about it. He has done a great job, and let him continue doing it. We start making judgments too quickly, regardless of wins or losses. Let him do things consistently, and then we can talk about it,” he said.

Rohit Sharma also expressed sorrow over the passing of former India opener Anshuman Gaekwad, who succumbed to blood cancer at the age of 71.

“Absolutely devastated to hear that news. We have had a few conversations during the BCCI awards and all. When I was playing in the Ranji Trophy, he was there to watch. There was a chance to speak to him. He had a few things to talk about regarding my game, which was overwhelming for me because he was such a great cricketer for India. It was always nice to learn from your seniors, just to understand how cricket was played back in the day. It was great learning for me then. Condolences to his family. Losing loved ones is always tough,” he said.