'Rohit has an edge over Kohli because of the impact he has'

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir says Rohit Sharma has been more impactful in white-ball cricket than Virat Kohli

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir feels that Rohit Sharma has made of an impact in white ball cricket as compared to Virat Kohli despite the Indian skipper's staggering statistics in shorter formats. Gambhir however, believes that Kohli will end up scoring more runs than Rohit. "For me, white ball cricket is all about impact. Kohli will end up getting many more runs than Rohit, and Kohli is among the greatest right now but Rohit has an edge over Kohli because of the impact he has," Gambhir said on Sports Tak, according to the India Today website.

Record-breaking stuff
"I think Rohit is the best white ball cricketer in the world right now. He is not the greatest overall but at the moment he is the best. He is the only player to have hit three ODI double hundreds, five World Cup hundreds [in one edition] and he is also the only player, who if he gets past the 100-run mark, makes people feel that he missed a double century [if he gets out]." Comparing Kohli and Rohit further, the 2011 World Cup winner said, "It is very difficult to compare them. Virat is unbelievable. His stats prove that. But when your reputation is such that when you get out after a hundred, people say he has missed out on a double hundred, that speaks volumes about you."

Virat Kohli. Pics/AFP

Rohit, 33, has 9115 runs from 224 ODIs at an average of 49.27 at a strike rate of 88.92. He has 29 hundreds and 43 fifties. In T20Is, Rohit has 2273 runs from 108 matches at an average of 32.62 and a strike rate of 138.78. Kohli, 31, meanwhile, has 11,867 runs from 248 ODIs at 59.33 and a strike rate of 93.25. He has scored 43 centuries and 58 half centuries. Kohli has 2794 runs from 82 T20Is at an average of 50.80 and a strike rate of 138.24.Gambhir felt that former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had a key role to play in supporting Rohit and now it was time for Kohli and Rohit should groom youngsters in the current Indiah team in the same way.

'Groom youngsters now'
"Rohit is the prime example of how a player's fortunes can turn around if he is nurtured by the seniors. I hope the young cricketers in the current generation, be it Shubman Gill or Sanju Samson, they also get the similar kind of support. And now when Rohit is a senior, I expect him to back youngsters."

Gautam Gambhir

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