 "Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma it seems are not ready to give up on their 2027 ODI World Cup dream. Image: Reuters")
Please don’t rule out Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the race for the 2027 ODI World Cup, as the batting greats are expected to take part in domestic cricket to keep themselves in contention. Rohit was recently removed from ODI captaincy in favour of Shubman Gill and with age not on their side, it has been felt that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors may have decided to move on from them.
Kohli will be 38 and Rohit will be 40 by the time the World Cup comes around, and there’s a feeling that the duo may announce retirement after the upcoming ODI series in Australia in October 2025. Even chief selector Ajit Agarkar recently said that contracted players will need to play domestic cricket when they are available.
Rohit and Kohli to play Vijay Hazare matches?
It’s seen as a message to the duo who could struggle with qualifying match practice, having retired from T20Is and Tests. However, amid the speculations, a BCCI official has said that Rohit and Kohli are expected to play at least three rounds of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in December-January before the ODI series against New Zealand starts in January next year.
“Between the last ODI against South Africa on December 6 at Visakhapatnam and the first ODI against New Zealand at Vadodara on January 11, there is a gap of five weeks,” a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.
“The Vijay Hazare Trophy starts on December 24. There will be six rounds of games for Mumbai (December 24, 26, 29, 31, Jan. 3, 6, 8). Rohit will be expected to at least play three rounds before linking up with the squad. Ditto for Virat.”
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If Rohit and Kohli do take part in Vijay Hazare matches, then it will be confirmation of sorts that they are willing to be available for selection in the ODI squad, and it would also keep them in contention for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
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Their former teammate Ravichandran Ashwin had also said recently on YouTube that the only way to accommodate Kohli and Rohit in the ODI squad would be to make them play in the Vijay Hazare and India ‘A’ series.
“If you need their services, you have to find a way. For example, the India ‘A’ series happened, so you need to ask them to play that series because there is not much 50-over cricket. They should have said that if you don’t play the series, I don’t think you fit in the plan.
“If not this series, then they have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy, because that will let us know the kind of form you are in,” Ashwin said on YouTube.