Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's 2027 World Cup participation in serious doubts now

Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan made a bold claim regarding Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Wassan stated that it would be an 'extremely tough' challenge for both Kohli and Sharma to be selected for the tournament.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli recently decided to retire from Test cricket following a disappointing performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. They had already stepped away from T20Is after the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup triumph. The duo will play only ODI matches for Team India.

Going to Be Extremely Tough for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma - Atul Wassan

Atul Wassan said that the ODI format is played less compared to Tests and T20Is. He pointed out that maintaining fitness levels will be difficult for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

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"I think it's going to be extremely tough for Virat and Rohit to sustain their fitness levels just by playing IPL, which happens for only two months a year," Wassan said on the Bails and Banter Show on the OTTPlay app.

"And they also usually don't play against small teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, as it's less motivating for them. They want a bigger challenge in front of them to get going," he added.

After leading India to victory in the 2025 Champions Trophy, Rohit Sharma shared his thoughts in an interview with Star Sports. When asked about his plans for the 2027 World Cup, the veteran opener said it was too soon to make any comments.

The Charm of ODI Cricket Comes Only in World Cups - Atul Wassan

Atul Wassan said that audiences have grown used to the faster pace of T20 cricket. He further stated that the popularity of ODI cricket is declining, adding that its charm now comes only during the World Cups.

"The charm comes only with the World Cups, and now it is getting very difficult to watch ODI cricket. One would rather watch paint dry, as even I, as a commentator, find it tough to narrate things to the viewers," he said.

"I recently went to Sri Lanka to do commentary for emerging players ODI matches. I was counting overs in between, as we are now used to the T20 format. However, it's interesting to do commentary in Test matches, as there is a lot of discussion about player techniques, pitches, and bowlers."

Uncertainty Over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's Participation in 2027 ODI World Cup

India will play at least 27 ODI matches before December 2026. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will face a tough challenge ahead due to their age and limited matches. After the IPL 2025 season, both players will return to the national team only in October for a three-match ODI series against Australia.

It remains to be seen how they will maintain their form and fitness during the long break. They may need to participate in domestic cricket to stay match-ready, given the reduced number of ODI games.

Kohli won the 2011 ODI World Cup, the Champions Trophy in 2013 and 2025, and the T20 World Cup title in 2024. Rohit is still chasing his first ODI World Cup title, having lost the 2023 final to Australia. Kohli and Rohit scored 765 and 597 runs, respectively, during the home World Cup.

Also read: India vs Pakistan matches in ICC events cancelled! Indian diplomat confirms BCCI's stance