Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has expressed concerns whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be ready to play in the 2027 ODI World Cup. Both have stepped away from Tests and T20Is. ODI is their only international format. Gavaskar thinks their selection for the event will depend on how many ODIs India play in the coming years.
“It depends to a great extent on the number of one-day matches that India plays over the next couple of years. Look, it’s not easy to be playing just seven or eight ODIs in a season while preparing for something as big as a World Cup,” Gavaskar told India Today.
He explained that bilateral ODI series have become fewer, which makes it hard for senior players to stay ready for 50–over matches. “For those eight white-ball matches, there are probably five T20s and three ODIs. That is not giving much in terms of exposure or practice for players who are approaching the later stages of their careers,” he added.
According to Gavaskar, the solution could be in domestic cricket. He said, “They will have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy in India whenever it’s scheduled, if it doesn’t clash with any international ODI tournament. That’s one way to stay in trim and maintain match practice.”
Gavaskar also said that Rohit and Kohli playing in the Australia ODIs shows they still want to prove themselves. By the 2027 World Cup, Rohit will turn 40 and Kohli 38. Whether they can play will depend on how many ODIs they get and how hard they train.
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