"You watch the next two years" - When Rohit Sharma made a big prediction on two Indian young guns during IPL 2023

Team India's Test and ODI captain and Mumbai Indians' (MI) batting star Rohit Sharma is known as someone who always backs youngsters to the hilt. As leader, be it at the international level or the IPL stage, the Hitman has time and again given space and confidence for youngsters to blossom.

Back in 2023, Rohit predicted that young batters Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera would go on to become huge stars not only in franchise cricket, but for Team India as well. In a conversation with JioCinema, he said (as quoted by ESPNcricinfo):

"It is going to be the same story with what has happened with Bumrah, Hardik and all these guys. Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera... you watch the next two years. But then people will say 'it is a superstar team'. Yes it is, we are making them here. These two guys are going to be huge stars for us and for India."

Varma made his international debut for India in August 2023 and quickly went on to establish himself as a key member of the T20 squad. In 25 matches (24 innings), he has scored 749 runs at an excellent average of 49.93 and an impressive strike rate of 155.07, with two hundreds and three fifties. His tons came in consecutive matches during the tour of South Africa in November 2024.

Apart from T20Is, the southpaw has also featured in four ODIs, in which he has scored 68 runs at an average of 22.66, with a best of 52. Speaking of Wadhera, he represented MI in the IPL from 2023 to 2024, scoring 350 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 140.

The southpaw is part of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) franchise for IPL 2025. In seven innings so far, he has contributed 189 runs at an average of 37.80 and a strike rate of 146.51. Overall, he has played 29 IPL games and has scored 539 runs. While Rohit's prediction on Varma seems to be coming true, it remains to be seen whether Wadhera will make his India debut anytime soon.

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Indian cricket legend Rohit Sharma turns 38

Rohit is celebrating his 38th birthday on Wednesday, April 30. The right-handed batter is currently representing MI in the ongoing IPL 2025. After a poor start to his campaign, he has found his groove. In nine matches, the veteran cricketer has notched up 240 runs at an average of 30 and a strike rate of 156.86. He has registered two half-centuries in IPL 2025.

In his overall IPL career, the Hitman has featured in 266 matches and has amassed 6,868 runs at an average of 29.73 and a strike rate of 131.89, with two hundreds and 45 half-centuries. As captain at the international level, Rohit led India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.