Age Catches Up: India’s Legends Virat & Rohit Face Make-or-Break 2027 World Cup; ‘Don’t play against BAN, ZIM’
(by our correspondent)
Indian cricket legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma face a formidable challenge in their quest to capture the 2027 ODI World Cup after recently stepping away from Test cricket following disappointing performances during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series in Australia. The batting stalwarts had previously concluded their T20 International careers on a high note, claiming victory in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.
Having dominated Indian batting for over a decade, both players will now focus exclusively on One Day Internationals, where they recently celebrated triumph in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Their primary objective centers on securing the 2027 ODI World Cup title in South Africa.
The path ahead presents significant obstacles, with limited ODI fixtures scheduled before October 2027. Maintaining peak physical condition and competitive sharpness poses a considerable challenge for the veteran duo. While the Indian Premier League provides annual competition, the decreasing frequency of one-day internationals – India has approximately 27 matches planned through December 2026 – coupled with advancing age and reduced match exposure, creates substantial hurdles.
Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan highlighted the preparation difficulties facing India’s batting icons on the Bails and Banter Show via the OTTPlay app. He emphasized that the ODI format receives less attention compared to Test and T20 cricket, intensifying the challenge for the pair to achieve their maiden 50-over World Cup success together.
Kohli’s achievements include the 2011 ODI World Cup, Champions Trophy victories in 2013 and 2025, plus the 2024 T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, Rohit continues pursuing his first ODI World Cup triumph after India’s heartbreaking defeat to Australia in the 2023 final.
“Maintaining fitness levels solely through IPL participation, which spans just two months annually, will prove extremely challenging for Virat and Rohit,” Wassan observed. “They typically avoid series against smaller nations like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, preferring more demanding opposition for motivation.”
Following IPL 2025’s conclusion, the duo won’t represent India until October’s three-match ODI series against Australia. Their ability to preserve form and match awareness during this extended hiatus remains uncertain. Questions persist about their potential participation in domestic cricket to maintain competitive readiness, particularly given ODI cricket’s current scarcity.
Declining ODI Appeal
Wassan also addressed ODI cricket’s diminishing popularity, noting excitement now primarily emerges during World Cup competitions. “The format’s appeal appears exclusively tied to World Cups, making ODI cricket increasingly difficult to watch. One might prefer watching paint dry – even as a commentator, engaging viewers becomes challenging,” he stated.
“During recent commentary work in Sri Lanka for emerging players ODI matches, I found myself counting overs, having grown accustomed to T20’s pace. Conversely, Test match commentary remains engaging due to extensive discussions about player techniques, pitch conditions, and bowling strategies.”