Harbhajan Singh supports Rohit-Kohli pair amid ‘unfair’ future debate, criticizes home pitches

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has come out in strong support of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, lamenting that their ODI future is being decided by “people who have not achieved much” in cricket, while there is speculation about the role of these experienced players. Aged 38 and 37, the pair – now focusing solely on ODIs after their retirement from Tests and T20Is – have silenced critics with recent form: Kohli has scored two consecutive centuries in the ongoing South Africa series, and Rohit has scored two half-centuries and an unbeaten 121 in his last four innings. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have not made any firm promises, but Harbhajan, learning from the experiences of his career, described the investigation as “unfortunate” and said it was reminiscent of arbitrary decisions faced by previous stars.

Speaking at the DP World ILT20 Season 4 in Sharjah on December 4, Harbhajan stressed the consistent impact of the pair: “They have always scored runs… setting an example for the younger generation of what it takes to be champions.” With the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa more than two years away – amid the format’s shrinking calendar – he is confident that both will be at their peak for the event, and will continue to set India up as a benchmark for excellence. He added, “I’m very happy for them; they’re doing great,” and urged respect for their leadership and continuity.

Moving on to broader concerns, Harbhajan criticized India’s home Test pitches, saying they were undermining the dignity of the format and player development. Since Gambhir’s appointment in July 2025, India have suffered five defeats in seven home Tests, culminating in an embarrassing 0-2 loss to South Africa – their first home series defeat against the Proteas in 25 years. The final in Guwahati resulted in a crushing defeat by a record 408 runs, with matches often ending in 2-3 days.

“The biggest problem is the pitches… have been spinner-friendly for 10-12 years, but there has been no development,” Harbhajan said, arguing that such surfaces prevent batsmen from practicing and give rise to average spinners – there is no true off-spinner after R Ashwin. He joked that even greats like Tendulkar or Kohli could not survive on pitches with irregular bounce, and called it “RIP Test cricket”. Comparing India’s 2-2 draw with England, which took place on balanced pitches, he advocated five-day matches: “Our team is strong; why play 2.5-day Tests? Give batsmen opportunities abroad, do the same at home.” He said that due to excess of T20, patience has reduced, which has stunted the development of strike bowlers.

Harbhajan praised the ILT20 for enhancing UAE cricket, and highlighted the debut of talented players from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait who are playing alongside the stars. As India prepare to return to the WTC, his point is clear: fair pitches for true champions.