Rohit Sharma was picked in the IND vs AUS ODI series, but truth be told, no one really knows if the legendary batter would be able to make it to the 2027 World Cup. By the time the tournament comes, he would be over 40, and IND is not playing a lot of ODIs in the next one year.
Rohit Sharma ‘Will Definitely Play’ World Cup 2027
But former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif is quite certain that Rohit Sharma would be around for the World Cup, despite the captaincy going to Shubman Gill now. “He will definitely play, boss. Look, the captaincy may have been taken away from him, but I believe that as an opener, Rohit Sharma will do his job,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif went on to add, that Rohit’s experience would be needed in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, where the tournament would take place. “You need an experienced batter in the side. You can’t go to South Africa with an entirely young team. Sometimes in those seaming conditions, the ball moves a lot and the pitches are bouncy. If you take only new players there, they’ll get exposed.
India Need Rohit & Virat
“That’s why I feel you need a player who can handle the bounce, who can pull and cut the rising deliveries just like Rohit Sharma does. On those kinds of pitches, I believe Rohit Sharma will perform even better. His batting style as an opener suits such conditions perfectly. He plays the rising ball, the one that bounces from the front, extremely well. Among all the players you can name, Rohit Sharma is the only one who handles that rising delivery so effectively.”
Not just Rohit, he even added that experienced pro, and one of the best batters still, Virat Kohli is needed too, in the World Cup squad. “Just look at his numbers, his years of experience. On a big stage like the World Cup, you need players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, players who have seen the world and experienced ups and downs.
“In a tournament like the World Cup, you’re going to lose a game or two in between, then you’ll need to make a comeback. You’ll face those do-or-die matches where you must win to reach the quarterfinals or top four. In such crucial situations, the roles of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli become absolutely vital.”
