Former Australia captain gives bold verdict on Rohit and Kohli’s 2027 World Cup chances

The much-anticipated return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to India’s ODI setup is just around the corner. The two batting greats are set to don the Indian jersey for the first time since their Champions Trophy 2025 triumph when Shubman Gill’s men face Australia in the first ODI at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Sunday.

Since Gill took over the captaincy from Rohit, conversations have intensified about the long-term future of these stalwarts — particularly their potential participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be hosted by South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

Neither Rohit nor Kohli has played a competitive match since the conclusion of IPL 2025. While Rohit has been training in Mumbai and Kohli in London, their current form remains an intriguing talking point ahead of the Australia series.

Many fans and experts have suggested that both players should feature in domestic competitions to maintain their rhythm. Reports indicate they could be asked to participate in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy before India’s home ODI series against New Zealand in January 2026.

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However, former Australia captain Aaron Finch believes that playing domestic cricket regularly won’t have much impact on their chances for 2027. Instead, he emphasized that their motivation and commitment will be the decisive factors.

“I don’t think playing a lot of domestic cricket will change anything for Rohit and Virat. Maybe an odd game here or there to stay in a competitive groove, but that’s about it," said Finch during a recent interaction.

 “You know they’ll be hitting thousands of balls away from the cameras. If the hunger and performance levels remain, there’s no reason why they can’t continue until 2027," he added.