Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma in ODI World Cups: Stats, Records and 2027 World Cup Verdict

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have already retired from T20I and Test cricket. Now, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s full focus is on ODIs and winning the 2027 ICC World Cup before saying goodbye to the international arena.

Both are among India's greatest cricketers, but they are now in the final stage of their international careers. The former Indian captains are closely watched whenever they turn up in blues, with one big question: whether they stay fit and in form until the 2027 ICC World Cup being raised every time.

With the India National Cricket Team also preparing a young team for the future, every ODI series has become very important for Kohli and Rohit. They will need to keep performing consistently to prove they are ready for the final World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia next year. Amid this, Rohit Sharma pens a heartfelt Instagram story for T Dilip after India's exit.

Virat Kohli's ODI World Cup record

Virat Kohli has been one of India's most reliable players in ODI World Cups. He has played in four editions—2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023—and has scored plenty of runs in every edition. Amid this, Anil Chaudhary explains why Virat Kohli's aggression is his biggest strength.

The dashing right-handed batter’s best performance came in the 2023 World Cup. He scored a record 765 runs in 11 matches, hit three centuries, and went past Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most ODI hundreds. He was also named the Player of the Tournament.

Overall, Kohli has scored over 1795 runs in 37 ODI World Cup matches at an average of 59.83 with the help of 5 hundreds and 12 fifties. He has always delivered under pressure, especially in important matches, making him one of the greatest World Cup batters the game has ever seen.

Kohli’s most memorable ODI World Cup knocks:

100* against Bangladesh (2011)

107 against Pakistan (2015)

82 against Australia (2019)

95 against New Zealand (2023)

117 against New Zealand in the 2023 semifinal

103* against Bangladesh (2023)

Rohit Sharma's ODI World Cup record

Rohit Sharma is known for scoring big runs in ODI World Cups. He featured in the 2015, 2019, and 2023 editions of the mega event even after the 2011 World Cup heartbreak under MS Dhoni.

The 2019 ODI World Cup was the Hitsman’s best when he scored 648 runs and hit a record five centuries in one tournament. In 2023, he created another record by becoming the player with the most centuries in men's ODI World Cup history, with seven tons to his name.

Rohit played with an attacking style and gave India aggressive starts in almost every match in the last editions of the ODI World Cup and took India to the finals, where they lost the title to Australia.

Overall, Rohit is one of the greatest batters in the mega event. has scored 1557 runs in 28 ODI World Cup matches at a magnificent average of 60.57 with the help of two centuries and 7 fifties.

Rohit’s best World Cup knocks:

137 against Bangladesh (2015)

140 against Pakistan (2019)

102 against England (2019)

104 against Bangladesh (2019)

131 against Afghanistan (2023)

Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma: World Cup stats comparison

What still stands between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and the 2027 World Cup

The biggest challenge for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma is age. By the time the 2027 ODI World Cup begins, Kohli will be around 38, while Rohit will be 40. Fitness will also be very important for them.

Both have looked after themselves well, but staying fit for another year and a half will not be easy. They will also need to keep scoring runs to keep their World Cup dreams alive.

At the same time, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, and Tilak Varma are fighting for ODI spots, so both Rohit and Kohli must maintain their fitness and keep scoring plenty of runs to remain part of India’s ODI scheme of things.

Also, the national selectors will have to find the right balance between experienced stars and young talent for the ODI World Cup 2027.

India's ODI series schedule until IPL 2027

The Men in Blue are scheduled to play 14 ODIs across four bilateral series before IPL 2027. These 14 ODI matches could decide Kohli and Rohit's place for the 2027 ICC World Cup. So, they will have to keep performing well to prove they still deserve a place in India's World Cup squad.

West Indies tour of India

1^st ODI: September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram

2^nd ODI: September 30 in Guwahati

3^rd ODI: October 3 in New Chandigarh

India tour of New Zealand

1^st ODI: November 4 in Auckland

2^nd ODI: November 7 in Wellington

3^rd ODI: November 10 in Hamilton

4^th ODI: November 13 in Mount Maunganui

5^th ODI: November 15 in Mount Maunganui

Sri Lanka tour of India

1^st ODI: December 13 in Delhi

2^nd ODI: December 16 in Bengaluru

3^rd ODI: December 19 in Ahmedabad

Zimbabwe tour of India

1^st ODI: January 3 in Kolkata

2^nd ODI: January 6 in Hyderabad

3^rd ODI: January 9 in Mumbai

Will Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma play the 2027 World Cup?

Virat Kohli looks more likely than Rohit Sharma to be part of India's squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Kohli is still one of the fittest athletes in the world, continues to score consistently in ODIs, and has made it clear that he wants to play in the 2027 ICC World Cup.

If the former Indian captain maintains his fitness and keeps scoring runs, he is expected to remain a key part of India's plans for the mega event in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

But Rohit Sharma's case looks tough. There is no doubt in the Hitman's mind, and his World Cup record is also outstanding, but he will be 40 by 2027, so maintaining fitness and form will be extremely challenging. He will also face strong competition from youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal.

If Rohit keeps scoring runs in the next 14 ODIs, he can still get his spot. But if he fails to deliver consistently and younger players perform well, the selectors may overlook the former Indian skipper. So, the upcoming ODI series could decide whether both legends get one final World Cup chance.