Former India cricket team captain MS Dhoni has thrown his weight behind Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and has said that they should play the 2027 ODI World Cup. The 44-year-old is currently the oldest active player in the Indian Premier League and is all set to be in action once again come IPL 2026. Dismissing the talks around the age of Ro-Ko, Dhoni stated that age was not at all a criteria to feature in a World Cup.
Age no criteria to play World Cup: Dhoni
During an event, Dhoni claimed that fitness and performance should be the criteria to continue playing for the nation, and not age. The former India captain name dropped Rohit and Virat, and said that just because someone was in their 30s, they can’t be questioned if they can feature in a World Cup. Dhoni said that it was up to the duo to decide if they wanted to play more, adding that no one should tell them otherwise.
“Is age a factor? No. Is fitness a factor? Yes, fitness is a factor. Even if you’re 22, if you’re not fit, you shouldn’t be there; there are criteria for playing international cricket. When it comes to whether it’s Rohit, Virat, or other names that will come forward in three, five, or ten years’ time, the whole thing is this: just because somebody is in their 30s, it’s not for us to decide whether they can play the next World Cup. It’s for them to decide. If they keep performing and have the urge to do well for the country, then why not?,” Dhoni said.
The speculation over Rohit and Virat playing in the marquee event began when chief selector Ajit Agarkar had claimed last year that the duo were non-committal towards playing the World Cup. Rohit would be 39 years old at the time of the event while Kohli will be 38. Since then, both the former captains have put up impressive performances in the only format that they are active in at present, silencing the critics. Dhoni reiterated that fitness should be the only criteria to judge players and pick them for a World Cup and not age.
“I feel the right combination of experience and youthfulness is very important, but not at the cost of fitness. If you want to compete at the top level, you have to be fit. If you’re 35 and fit, then 35 doesn’t matter. Performance matters equally for a 24-year-old and a 35-year-old. Treat everyone equally. If people are performing, they’ll be there. If they aren’t, they won’t. People often say the next World Cup is three or four years down the line—well, if a guy isn’t fit by then, you can drop him at any point. If he’s not performing, you’ll drop him anyway. There should be no question regarding any individual when it comes to selection. There is only one criteria: if you’re performing and you’re fit, keep on playing,” said Dhoni.
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