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Shakib Al Hasan opined on the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma with the Indian National Cricket Team ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. There was a lot of debate in the recent past, when India was up against the England National Cricket Team for an ODI series, over Rohit's retirement.
Virat Kohli was also reportedly not on good terms with the head coach, Gautam Gambhir. Amid the reports containing mostly negative news about the two former India skippers' future with the national team, clouds of uncertainty gathered over their chances for the upcoming ODI World Cup as well. Should Rohit and Virat consider their retirement because of their age?
Time is racing against Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
Shakib Al said form should be the only parameter. Rohit Sharma is nearing 40, while Virat Kohli is now 37. The Gautam Gambhir-led Team India mostly shows their trust in the young and emerging talents over the experienced candidates.
For the One Day International format, Virat and Rohit are the two most senior cricketers who are still in the race for selection for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Age is always a concern in sports, but nothing is over performance and form, Shakib Al Hasan stated in a recent interview with RevSportz.
The veteran spin bowling all-rounder, who is currently in Sri Lanka for the ongoing Lankan Premier League (LPL) with Jaffna Kings. The seasoned campaigner, who shares a very close bond with India because of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, worked with Gautam Gambhir, the former cricketer and mentor of the franchise, currently the India National Cricket Team head coach.
Should Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli consider retirement from international cricket?
Previously published media reports suggested that there was something wrong between the senior players of the team, including Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma, and the head coach, Gautam Gambhir. In the ongoing debate about whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should announce their retirements before the 2027 ODI World Cup, Shakib Al Hasan placed his comments on the burning topic.
In the interview, the former Bangladesh skipper said, "They have been great ambassadors for Indian cricket. People follow them because of what they have achieved. They have contributed tremendously to Indian cricket and are still going strong, especially in ODI cricket. If both of them play in the 2027 World Cup, India will have a very good chance."
"That’s what I believe. Performance should be the sole criterion," he stated when he was asked about their possible retirements.
Shakib Al Hasan expressed his views on Gautam Gambhir's Team India
In the same interview, Shakib also expressed that the India cricket team with Gambhir as coach is trying to create a strong team, keeping an eye on the upcoming ICC events, including the 2027 ODI World Cup.
"Especially in T20 cricket, India is building a team. I don’t blame anybody for that. They are preparing for 2028 and are probably more focused on the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup, which are the next major tournaments. They are trying different players to find the best combination for 2028," he opined.
