3 reasons why India must not consider Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in their plans for 2027 ODI World Cup

Indian batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma may reportedly not be certain starters for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The mega event is still almost two years away, and reports from PTI have claimed that the BCCI will have 'honest conversations' with the two about their future and where they stand.

"Yes, it will be discussed soon. We still have more than two years for the next World Cup (November 2027). Both Kohli and Rohit will be pushing 40 by then, so there has to be a clear plan ahead for the big event as our last win was in 2011. We also need to try out a few youngsters in time," a BCCI source told PTI. (via Hindustan Times)

Notably, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are now active only in the ODI format. The duo had retired from T20Is after India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. Ahead of the recently concluded England Test series, both players also retired from the longest format.

The duo have made magnificent contributions to the Indian team, particularly in white-ball cricket. Kohli has played 302 ODIs and has amassed 14181 runs at an average of 57.88 with 51 hundreds. On the other hand, Rohit has featured in 273 matches in the format and has piled on 11168 runs at an average of 48.76 with 32 tons.

Notably, Kohli and Rohit were the top two run-getters in the previous edition of the World Cup in 2023 with 765 runs and 597 runs, respectively. However, in the build-up to the next edition, the team may look at the long-term aspect and groom upcoming players.

That said, here are three reasons why India should not consider Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in their 2027 World Cup plans.

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#3 Age factor could be a major concern for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

Virat Kohli is 36 years old at present, while Rohit Sharma is 38. With the World Cup to be played in 2027, Kohli would be 38 and Rohit 40. Thus, age could be a considerable factor for the management to look beyond them.

Since IPL 2025, both have been away from any competitive cricket. With the duo not getting any younger and on the wrong side of age, their fitness could be a concern. Moreover, with not many ODIs till the World Cup begins, it could be tough to keep themselves in shape.

The two are unlikely to participate in domestic fixtures. With the BCCI rules suggesting centrally contracted and fit players to play domestic cricket, it remains to be seen if an exception would be made in this case.

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#2 India will play only 27 ODIs before the World Cup

India are set to play only 27 ODIs before the 2027 ODI World Cup. While these are enough games to give Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma the required match time, it doesn't paint a clear picture.

They could be seen in action during the upcoming ODI series against Australia in October 2025, followed by a home series against South Africa in November. Those would be the only big series for India in the format this year before playing against New Zealand and England in 2026.

Other than that, they will play Afghanistan, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka in the lead-up to the tournament, which may not be ideal to prepare for a mega event. Moreover, with the management reportedly keen to give some younger players a hit-out, Rohit or Kohli may have to miss some of these 27 games as well.

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#1 A successful transition from a young Indian team in Test cricket

A major factor that could tempt the BCCI to look beyond Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma would be the successful transition of the Test team during their recently concluded overseas tour of England.

Without the likes of Kohli, Rohit, Ravichandran Ashwin, and seniors like Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, and Mohammad Shami, a young Indian side played extremely well under new captain Shubman Gill. They competed fiercely, taking their opportunities to level the series 2-2.

Looking at the successful transition of the team in a short time, the management could be tempted to follow the template with the ODI side as well. The upcoming cycle could therefore be utilized to give youngsters more opportunities and work out combinations for the future.

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Edited by Rishab Vm