Former India cricket team chief selector K Srikkanth has claimed that the team cannot play the 2027 ODI World Cup without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. His remarks come after the Hitman turned back the clock to score a blistering ton in the IND vs AUS 3rd ODI. Amid the uncertainty over the future of the duo and chief selector Ajit Agarkar claiming that they were non-committal to playing the 2027 WC, Srikkanth fired a warning to the selectors over having plans to leave out Ro-Ko from the team.
‘Don’t bring up age issue’
In a video on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth dubbed Rohit as a certainty for the World Cup and lavished praise on his fitness. He urged the selectors not to bring up the age factor – that both Rohit and Kohli will turn 40 at the time of the marquee tournament – noting that they were catching well at the slips and were fit enough.
“Rohit is a certainty for the 2027 World Cup. We can’t play without him and Virat Kohli. Rohit Sharma has lost 11 kgs and looks super fit. It was the old Rohit Sharma, with the touch game. Don’t bring up this whole age issue that he (Rohit) is touching 40. He’s fit, batting well and catching brilliantly at slips. What else do you need?,” Srikkanth said.
After being dismissed for 8 runs in the 1st ODI in Perth, Sharma showed promising signs with a 73-run knock in the next game in Adelaide. He then shifted gears in Sydney where he scored a scintillating century and seeing India through the game. Meanwhile, Kohli managed to score an unbeaten 73-run knock in Sydney after being dismissed for two consecutive ducks.
“If I was the chairman of the selection committee, today itself I will go to them and say, ‘Just be fit for the 2027 World Cup and win us the trophy‘,” Srikkanth added.
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