In his first press conference after being named the new ODI captain of the Indian men’s cricket team, Shubman Gill confidently threw his weight behind former captain and legends Virat kohli and Rohit Sharma as questions about the senior duo’s future were raised.
Currently leading the Test side in the home series against the West Indies, Gill was recently revealed as the ODI skipper by chief selector Ajit Agarkar, with the ODI series in Australia later this month being his first assignment as the newly-minted ODI leader.
Rohit, who led India to the ICC Champions Trophy victory in March, will now be part of the side only as a batsman, as he and Kohli resume their journey in ODIs, the only international format the pair is now actively playing.
With Rohit being replaced as the ODI skipper, as the selectors want to give Gill ample time to settle down in the role of captaincy for the 2027 World Cup, which is slated to begin in October 2027 in Africa, the future of both Rohit and Kohli remains clouded given both are on the wrong side of their 30s.
In fact, in two years’ time by the 2027 World Cup, Kohli will be nearing the age of 39 and Rohit will already have turned 40. Despite Kohli’s elite fitness, Rohit’s marked improvement in his own fitness, and their terrific form in ODIs, their featuring in the 2027 ODI World Cup seems a distant avenue for now.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar further added fuel to this debate: though Agarkar deflected talking about Rohit-Kohli’s future, he did say that the two seniors are currently “non-committal” about the 2027 ODI World Cup.
However, Gill applied some soothing balm to Ro-Ko’s fans’ itch when he said that he would definitely want the pair to play until the 2027 event in Africa.
Shubman Gill comments on the future of Virat kohli and Rohit Sharma with regard to 2027 World Cup
On the eve of the second Test against the West Indies in Delhi, Gill was queried whether he expects Kohli and Rohit to be part of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Gill promptly replied, “Yes, of course,” before adding, “The experience that the two bring and the matches that they have won for India… There are very few players (with such a record). There are very few players in the world who have so much skill, quality and experience. In that sense, I’m very happy.”
Rohit and Kohli will return to international cricket for the first time since March when India play a three-ODI series against Australia away from home, starting on October 19.
Virat kohli and Rohit Sharma
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