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The India National Cricket Team is all set to make the biggest changes before the ICC World Cup 2027. The selectors and team management have reportedly started planning for the future, and the latest reports suggest that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are no longer being viewed in the same way.
While Rohit’s international future is now under serious doubt, Kohli has reportedly received strong backing from the Indian think tank for the mega event. The selectors want young guns for the future, but Kohli remains a key part of India's ICC World Cup 2027 plans.
Rohit Sharma set to play his last India game at Lord's
As reported by PTI, the Indian selection committee chaired by Ajit Agarkar and the team management led by the head coach Gautam Gambhir have decided to focus on building a strong and young squad for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup.
As part of this plan, Rohit Sharma is reportedly no longer being considered as India's first-choice opener for the tournament. Even the former Indian captain was already informed about the decision.
The report also claimed that the third ODI against England at Lord’s on July 19 could be Rohit's last match in India's blue jersey if the selectors continue with their current plans. Amid this, Dinesh Lad urges Rohit Sharma to ignore retirement and target 2027 World Cup.
Virat Kohli gets full backing for ICC ODI World Cup 2027
However, things are different for Virat Kohli. The same PTI report claimed that both Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir have full faith in Kohli. There are no concerns about his fitness or form, and he is an automatic choice for India's 2027 ICC ODI World Cup squad.
Kohli has been in outstanding form in recent months. He has scored consistently against top teams like South Africa, New Zealand, and England, and his consistent and match-winning performances have convinced the selectors to make the batting team around him for the mega event.
Rohit's poor form forced selectors to look beyond him
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma has not been at his best in the ongoing ODI series against England. The former Indian captain has scored only 11 runs in the first match and then managed 26 runs off 47 balls in the second ODI at Cardiff.
His recent ODI record has also not been very impressive as the right-hander has scored 241 runs at an average of just over 30 in his last eight ODI innings and smashed only one half-century. These performances have forced the selectors to think about a new opening pair for the future.
Interestingly, the new plan has been completely backed by the chief selector Agarkar, but his team will not ask Rohit Sharma to retire from ODI cricket. Instead, they simply want to move forward by giving younger players more chances before the ICC World Cup next year.
Yashasvi Jaiswal to get extended ODI run before World Cup
And that face will be Yashasvi Jaiswal. It is being said that the national selectors now want to give Yashasvi regular chances before the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 because of his strong performances. Amid this, Pragyan Ojha rejected, Ajit Agarkar travelled to England to inform Rohit Sharma of ODI future.
The Men in Blue are expected to play around 20 ODIs before the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup. The selectors reportedly want Jaiswal to play as many of these matches as possible so that he gets enough experience and becomes a settled opener before the big tournament.
A senior BCCI source was quoted as saying by PTI: “There are close to 20 ODIs before the World Cup, and the selectors want Jaiswal to get an extended run in the side. That continuity is important for his development.”
