Former India captain and 1983 World Cup winner K Srikkanth has shared his perspective on the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, stressing that the legendary duo must stay active in domestic cricket if they wish to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup. Srikkanth strongly believes that both Rohit and Kohli, who have already stepped away from Test and T20I cricket, should continue to be part of India’s ODI setup until the next World Cup. At the same time, he urged the Indian management to ensure that the stalwarts remain match-ready through consistent game time at the domestic level.
“The very fact that they’ve said they are available, they both want to play the 2027 ODI World Cup, hoping that they win the title, having missed it by a whisker in 2023. I’ll surely give it to them because they’ve done so much,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
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Why Domestic Cricket is Key
The former opener insisted that participation in tournaments such as the Vijay Hazare Trophy will be crucial for the veterans to maintain rhythm in the build-up to the mega event.
“They will have to play all the domestic tournaments across India. You should tell them to start playing the one-day tournaments like Vijay Hazare and other challengers so that they get back into rhythm,” he added.
Srikkanth’s comments arrive at a time when speculation has been growing around the duo’s international future. Notably, Rohit’s personal consultant Abhishek Nayar recently revealed that the Indian captain has shed 10 kilograms, underlining his determination to return for the upcoming Australia series.
Backing the Stalwarts
The legendary opener also emphasized that both Kohli and Rohit deserve another shot at World Cup glory after narrowly missing out in 2023, and credited their experience as former captains.
“I am sure they themselves know it, having been such stalwarts and successful former captains. Won’t they not have that much awareness? They’ll know what to do and what not to do. For people who’ve achieved so much, especially Virat Kohli, I’ll give them the extra bit of leverage,” Srikkanth stated.
Highlighting their dedication, Srikkanth expressed confidence that both players will automatically prepare themselves without external reminders.
“They have to get at least some match practice. And they’ll come and do it. They’ll do it automatically; you don’t even have to tell them. Probably Virat Kohli is practising in England. How do we know? It’s a cricket-playing country. Likewise, Rohit Sharma is probably practising here. So they will be preparing for it,” he concluded.
The duo was last seen representing India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final, where India lifted back-to-back ICC titles under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. Their form has continued to reassure the team management, with both stalwarts maintaining consistency despite their age.