Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has ruled out the possibility of India cricket team heading into the 2027 World Cup without the services of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. So far, head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have maintained that the veteran duo aren’t confirmed yet to be a part of the playing XI in the marquee event, which could also be their last, given their age. Following their consistent performances in the IND vs AUS and the IND vs SA ODI series, Singh reckoned that Ro-Ko are a must-have for the team.
‘Don’t sideline Ro-Ko’
In a video on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan stated that there were no bigger players than Rohit and Kohli, adding that rather been sidelined, the team should be built around the duo. He said that the pursuit of youth could turn out to be costly for India if they ignore experience. Harbhajan added that the 2027 World Cup could possibly be the last for the duo of Ro-Ko.
“Are there bigger and better players than Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli? You shouldn’t sideline them but instead think about how to build the team around them. If you lose experience in the pursuit of youth, then it can be a problem in big matches. So they must play, and this will be a big World Cup because after that, it’s possible they’ll never play another World Cup,” Harbhajan said.
Both Virat and Rohit retired from T20is and Tests in 2024 and 2025 respectively. They are currently active only in the ODI format where they have proved time and again that they are the best in the business. Kohli has two centuries and fifties to his name in the last 6 ODIs that he has played while Sharma has 3 fifties and one century.
“Whether India win the World Cup or not in 2027 is a different story. But at least there won’t be the regret that they didn’t play their best players. If their fitness is intact, they should be ready. These two are your best players… they should always play,” Harbhajan added.
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