Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli’s ODI Future in Doubt: Will they play until the 2027 World Cup? BCCI’s likely stand.
India’s recent 2-2 Test series draw against England saw them make a successful transition following the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the longest format of the game. Now, speculations are rife that BCCI is looking beyond RO-KO for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
According to a report by Dainik Jagran, RO-KO have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy to stay in contention for the World Cup. Performance and fitness will be the only criteria for selection in the World Cup squad.
For the record, India’s next ODI assignment is the three-match series against Australia Down Under. If RO-KO fail to deliver in this series, they might kiss their ODI careers goodbye as India have a large pool of limited-overs players to choose from, thanks to the Indian Premier League. Hence, the series could possibly be their swansong series where they bid adieu to their glorious career on a high.
There are a few vital reasons that the two batting giants’ ODI career is nearing their end, and also, their international career, having already retired from Tests and T20Is.
Wrong side of 30s
Rohit Sharma will be 40, while Virat Kohli will be 38 when the 2027 ODI World Cup is hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Although the two have proven track records in ODIs, having jointly won the Champions Trophy recently in the 50-overs format, their age could backfire as the recent investment in youth in the Test series against England have produced great results.
India also have a large and young pool of skilled, talented, and in-form limited-overs players who could replace the duo on any given day. Hence, it’s highly doubtful that the two stalwarts will last for another two years in the ODI set-up.
Read More: Future of India in ODIs: Should Rohit Sharma continue as captain or will Gill be appointed skipper?
Fewer ODIs to build form
There are fewer ODIs for RO-KO to build a form, and stay consistent. India will be playing a maximum of nine ODIs (three each against Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand) before the focus shifts to the 2026 World T20. The three ODIs against NZ in January 2026 at home will clash with the Vijay Hazare Trophy schedule.
With BCCI’s reportedly new dictum for Rohit and Kohli to play the domestic tournament, we could see them lose out on the New Zealand series, while India replace them with younger and in-form players for the series. If the youngsters perform, while the experienced duo struggle or under-perform, or vice versa, the sentiment will be to give the young players more chances to build a team with a new ideology for this format.
Hence, RO-KO’s ODI career is on thin ice now, as they are aware that every failure will bring them closer to the finish line.
Are they fit enough?
With no competitive cricket to bank on, Rohit and Kohli have to rely on their personal training to get ready for the next ODI series against Australia Down Under, if BCCI does persist with the duo. However, a big question will be on their match fitness.
Kohli, who is a fitness freak, may pass the test, and may insist he have a season or two left in him. But Rohit, who is not so known for his fitness, may struggle on this front, especially when younger players are ready to perform full-throttle.
Hence, RO-KO have to ensure they are in prime fitness when the series is near, or they might just embarrass themselves in front of the youngsters.
Read More: From 20-Wicket Obsession to Batting Depth: Is India Losing its Test Edge Post-Kohli?
Not so many veterans last beyond 38
It’s also given that in recent times, cricketers have retired much earlier from international cricket or from ODIs before even turning 35. Nicholas Pooran from West Indies retired from international cricket at just 29. Heinrich Klaasen of South Africa also called time on his international career at just 33. The reason is the cash-rich T20 leagues’ pull that pay a lot more than national assignments.
Hence, it’s commendable that RO-KO continue to play international cricket late in their 30s. Even in India’s cricketing history, only Mohinder Amarnath played the most ODIs (16), followed by Sachin Tendulkar (10), Sunil Gavaskar (7), and Rahul Dravid (5) beyond 38 years of age.
Hence, history would repeat itself, as no player is bigger than the game. It is just a matter of time that we see the batting transition in India’s ODI set-up as well.
BCCI or team management may look beyond RO-KO
Considering India’s recent success in the Test series against England, where a young captain in Shubman Gill led a new-look youthful team to a memorable draw, BCCI may be thinking around the same lines for ODIs. They might argue that India need to rebuild the ODI squad, and phase out the veterans so that India are “fit”, and well-prepared for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
“Vira Kohli and Rohit Sharma do not fit in our plans for the ODI World Cup 2027,” the Dainik Jagran report quoted sources from India’s team management.
Selectors have least to worry about finding suitable replacements for Rohiy and as India have a large group of young limited-overs players to take over the baton from RO-KO. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, and Abhishek Sharma are waiting for their chances in ODIs, having already shown what they are capable of in T20s.
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