Will Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli play World Cup 2027?

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has raised an important question about the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in One Day Internationals, noting that their chances of featuring in the 2027 World Cup will largely depend on how many ODIs India play in the coming years. With both veterans having already stepped away from Tests and T20Is, Gavaskar warned that staying match-ready could become increasingly difficult for the duo.

The discussion over India’s next cricketing phase intensified on October 4, when the BCCI unveiled the squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. The return of Rohit and Kohli marked their first appearance with the national side since the Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year. However, the spotlight quickly shifted to Shubman Gill, who was officially named India’s new ODI captain, replacing Rohit and signalling a generational shift in leadership.

This decision has fuelled speculation that India may be gradually moving beyond the Rohit-Kohli era. For fans, the major question is whether the legendary pair will still feature in the 2027 World Cup, which could be their final major international tournament. In a recent interaction, Gavaskar acknowledged that the road ahead won’t be easy for them.

“It depends to a great extent on the number of one-day matches that India plays over the next couple of years. It’s not easy to stay prepared for something as big as a World Cup if you’re only playing seven or eight ODIs a season,” Gavaskar said.

The former India captain also highlighted a broader issue — with bilateral ODI series becoming less frequent, it will be challenging for senior players to stay in touch with the format’s demands.

“For those eight white-ball matches, there are probably five T20s and three ODIs. That’s not enough exposure or practice, especially for players in the latter stages of their careers,” he added.

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Both Rohit and Kohli retired from Test cricket earlier this year, just five days apart — Rohit on May 7 and Kohli on May 12. The duo had also announced their T20I retirements following India’s 2024 World Cup victory, leaving ODIs as their final international format.

Gavaskar suggested that if the two wish to stay in contention for 2027, domestic cricket could play a key role.

“They’ll need to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy whenever it’s scheduled, provided it doesn’t clash with international fixtures. That’s one way to stay sharp and maintain match fitness,” he said.