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"Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are players we look up to": Will Young ahead of IND vs NZ 1st ODI

Jatin

Will Young hailed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma [Source: @willyoung12/instagram.com, @ICC/x.com]Will Young hailed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma [Source: @willyoung12/instagram.com, @ICC/x.com]

When it comes to modern-day greats, few names command respect like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. And it’s not just Indian fans who swear by them. Ahead of New Zealand’s white-ball tour of India, Kiwi batter Will Young has openly admitted that the Black Caps dressing room looks up to the Indian duo as gold standards of international cricket.

With a three-match ODI series against India coming up, followed by a five-match T20I leg, Young’s words have once again shown just how far Kohli and Rohit’s influence stretches in world cricket.

Kohli and Rohit set the benchmark

Speaking to reporters at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium, Will Young didn’t mince his words. He called Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma players the New Zealand camp has admired for years.

According to Young, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have stayed at the top of the game for a long, long time, and that kind of consistency doesn’t come easy. To put simply, they are the kind of players every cricketer grows up watching and quietly tries to copy.

“Kohli and Sharma are incredible players and they've been at the top of their game in world cricket for a long, long time. (They are the) players that I look up to, (along with) a lot of the other players in this Black Caps group, we've always looked up to too,” Young said.

ODI cricket still matters says Young

With the T20 World Cup around the corner, there has been chatter about how relevant ODI series really are. Young understands the noise but believes the format still holds plenty of weight.

“Especially with the T20 World Cup round the corner, it is easy to have the series lost in the greater context. (But) when you're playing for your country, there should always be those two things (passion and motivation),” Young explained.

He also stressed that ODIs still matter in the long run.

“It is a slightly different format from Test and T20 cricket, and these days you probably play a little bit less as well. But you've got to remember, there's still two ICC world events – the Champions Trophy and the World Cup – which has had so much wonderful history over such a long time.”

Backing the young guns on Indian soil

New Zealand’s squad for the India tour features several fresh faces and Young sees this as a golden chance for them to step up. He feels the Black Caps have handled change well over the years with players constantly moving in and out due to franchise cricket and personal commitments.

“It is a slightly different team, but one thing the Black Caps group over the last few years has had to deal with is different personnel coming in and out. There's franchise leagues, there's personal matters that come up and it's been awesome to see that the youngsters come into this group and excel and do well right from the word go,” he said.

Putting into the bucket mentality

One of the most interesting bits from Will Young’s chat was his “bucket” analogy. He explained it as a mindset where every player is expected to give more than they take. And that applies to seniors and youngsters alike.

“One thing we talk about is, putting into the bucket – a nice metaphor – what I mean by that is you're putting in more than you're taking out and that's expected from everyone in this group, not just the senior players.”

As New Zealand gear up to face India, Young’s comments have set the tone. Respect the legends, value every format and back the next generation.