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Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has made it clear that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will continue to be India's biggest match-winners in ODI cricket. As India prepares for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Pathan believes that both Kohli and Rohit will have a massive role to play if the team wants to bring home the trophy.
Even with several young stars making their mark, Pathan feels there is still no replacement for the experience, calmness, and match-winning ability that Rohit and Kohli bring to the side. He stressed that the former Indian captain’s presence can make all the difference in big matches.
Virat Kohli is the best in the world: Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan highlighted Virat Kohli's incredible record at No. 3 and said the batting star remains India's biggest strength in ODI cricket. The former World Cup winner believes that Kohli has a special ability to handle the pressure and rebuild the innings whenever the team is in the tough spots, especially in the big tournaments.
Pathan said on JioStar, "Virat Kohli brings immense experience to the middle order. In ODIs, no one does it better than him. Batting at number three, his records speak for themselves. If India loses an early wicket, he is the man to rebuild the innings. He loves batting long, and when it comes to chasing, he is the best in the world.”
Kohli is regarded as one of the greatest ODI batsmen of all time, with 14,797 runs in 311 ODI matches for India at an average of 58.72 and a strike rate of 93.82. He also holds the world record for the most centuries in the format, having smashed 54 tons for the Men in Blue.
Irfan Pathan calls Rohit Sharma ideal batter for Proteas conditions
Speaking about Rohit Sharma, Pathan feels the former Indian captain's ability against short-pitched bowling can be one of India's biggest weapons at the ICC World Cup 2027 in South Africa. However, Rohit Sharma's successor in ODIs has already been named by Virender Sehwag.
The cricket pundit added, “Rohit Sharma's biggest strength is his ability to handle short-pitched bowling. He has exceptional timing and gets into position early. In South Africa, where bowlers get both swing and extra bounce, Rohit is the ideal batter to punish anything short.”
Rohit Sharma has so far scored 11,577 runs in 282 ODI matches at an exceptional average of 48.85 and a strike rate of 92.75. The right-hander is considered one of the greatest ODI openers.
Pathan names Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as India's biggest ICC World Cup 2026 weapons
He also reiterated that India's success in the ICC World Cup 2027 will depend heavily on the experienced duo. He feels Rohit's fearless batting and Kohli's ability to control the innings could be the key factors in India's bid to lift the third ODI World Cup trophy.
Pathan signed off by saying, “India will need both these qualities of Rohit and Virat if they are to win the World Cup in South Africa.” However, Virat Kohli ruled out of the ODI series against Afghanistan due to hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 final between GT and RCB.
