 "'They are both...': Gautam Gambhir clears air on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s ODI future")
After India’s 2-0 Test series win against the West Indies, head coach Gautam Gambhir answered a key question about former captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s future in the ODI team. This comes ahead of India’s upcoming 50-over series against Australia, where both Rohit and Kohli are expected to play.
This will mark the first time in over nine months that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will don the India jersey. The duo last featured for the national side during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in February. Following that tournament, both players announced their retirement from Test cricket and stated that they would be available only for ODIs going forward.
When the BCCI named the ODI squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, many were taken by surprise to see Rohit replaced as captain. Shubman Gill, who had earlier succeeded him in Tests, was handed the leadership role in the 50-over format as well. Since then, several questions have been raised about the future of Rohit and Kohli, especially with the 2027 ODI World Cup in sight.
Gambhir on Ro-Ko’s future
Gambhir, who was asked about this after the 2nd Test against West Indies, made it clear that the focus right now is not on the Cricket World Cup, which is two years away, but on the upcoming Australia series. “ODI World Cup is two and a half years away. It is important to stay in the present. They are both quality players. Hopefully, those 2 will have a successful tour,” Gambhir said in the post-match press conference.
Before turning attention to the 2027 ODI World Cup, Gambhir has another major white-ball challenge waiting for him. India will host the T20 World Cup in 2026, where he and Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav will aim to help the team defend the title they won under Rohit’s leadership last year.
When it comes to Rohit and Kohli’s future, both will need to prove their form and fitness in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup. It won’t be an easy task, as the two have limited their availability to fewer competitive matches, making it even more challenging. They might have to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the BCCI’s premier 50-over domestic tournament, to maintain their match readiness.
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