Kapil Dev Criticised For Comparing Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli Before T20 Semi-Final

Kapil Dev faced backlash for comparing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli before India's crucial semi-final against England at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday, June 27.

A video of Kapil Dev praising Rohit Sharma over Virat Kohli has gone viral. In the clip, the former India captain mentions that unlike other great players, Rohit Sharma prioritises the team as a leader.

"He (Rohit Sharma) is not like Virat Kohli, he does not jump around," said Kapil (translated from Hindi). He knows his limitations, but within those limitations, he performs the best," said Kapil Dev at an 'ABP Live' event.

"A big tick in favour of Rohit Sharma is that he keeps the entire team happy," said Kapil. "There are many great players who play for themselves, take the captaincy for themselves, but not him," he added.

Kapil Dev "Rohit never jumps like Virat, some big player plays for themselves but Rohit keeps entire team happy" pic.twitter.com/rfW5mhBG34

i. (@arrestpandya) June 26, 2024

Fans' Reaction to Comparison

The comments from Kapil Dev come after Rohit Sharma's blazing knock against Australia on Monday. Rohit smashed 92 balls off just 41 balls as India posted 205/5 to beat Australia by 24 runs. The innings from Rohit consisted of seven fours and eight sixes.

Fans criticised Kapil Dev for the comparison at a time when the focus should be on Team India and backing them as a group to end India's 11-year-old drought for an ICC trophy.

"We haven't reached the final yet, but 'Virat vs Rohit' has started. We won't win like this," wrote a fan on X.

India's Quest for T20 World Cup Final

India are looking to avenge their 2022 semi-final defeat against England to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2024 final. India, who lost the ODI World Cup final in 2023, are unbeaten in the tournament so far.

The focus now shifts to how Team India performs collectively in their upcoming match against England. Fans hope that internal comparisons do not affect their chances of securing a spot in the final.