Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh suggested that the team management should completely drop the idea of phasing out Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Instead, he stressed that the squad for the tournament should be built around the experienced pair.
Even though there has been constant speculation about their future heading into 2027, both Kohli and Rohit have continued to showcase top form in recent ODIs. Rohit was named Player of the Series during India’s ODI tour of Australia, while Kohli grabbed the same award in their latest home ODI series against South Africa.
Discussing their prospects for the 2027 ODI World Cup on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan commented:
“Are there bigger and better players than Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli? So you shouldn’t sideline them but instead think about how to build the team around them. If you lose experience in the pursuit of youth, then it can be a problem from time to time in big matches. So they must play and this will be a big World Cup because after that, it’s possible they’ll never play another World Cup.”
He further continued:
“The way Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are batting and how the batting order looks with them, it looks so solid that they should play.They will maintain their fitness. But the questions about whether they will or should play the World Cup, it’s okay to look towards the younger players but don’t ignore the players who are already proven performers with the ability to deliver in big matches.”
“Rohit & Kohli Should Be First Picks For 2027 World Cup”- Harabhajan
Harbhajan Singh feels that India’s heartbreaking loss in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, despite dominating the tournament, is exactly why Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should be the first choices for the 2027 World Cup squad. He pointed out that both veterans were the top two run scorers in the 2023 edition, with Kohli amassing 765 runs and Rohit contributing 597.
“In the last World Cup also, they missed it in the final, with the pitch being very slow. If there was a bitter pitch, India would have won. There was a lot of pressure, which is why Australia played better than India and won. But the way India played under Rohit Sharma was unbelievable. So the first two names should be Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and the rest of the team should be formed after that,” said Harbhajan (via the aforementioned source).
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