Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) seamer Ashish Nehra believes it is too early to predict whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup. Both players have retired from T20Is and Tests and are currently active only in the 50-over format. Speaking at the CAB Annual Awards ceremony in Kolkata on September 7, Nehra pointed out that the marquee tournament is still more than a year away.
He added that, considering how quickly things can change in cricket, it is difficult to comment on the duo’s participation at this stage, saying (via RevSportz): “We all know what Rohit and Virat have achieved over the last decade. But for me, 13 months is a long time. It is very difficult to say right now whether Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli will be there. Forget those two. Age is just a number. We talk about Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah, but even Shubman is not in the T20 squad. The way the sport is going, it is fast-paced and more formats are coming. So, it is difficult to say. It is simply too early.”
He further added that if the duo are performing well, there is no reason why they cannot feature in the tournament.
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However, he pointed out that he is not the coach and that the BCCI has decision-makers and selectors, with several people involved in the selection process. He said: “If they are doing well and performing, why not? But again, if you were the coach, or if I were the coach, it would not be my decision alone. That doesn’t work with the BCCI. There are selectors and other decision-makers involved, so there are many people involved in the decision-making process.”
Rohit and Virat were last in action during India’s ODI series against England in July, which the Men in Blue lost 2-1. The opener finished the series with 175 runs, including a century, while Kohli amassed 144 runs with two fifties.
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In the same conversation, Ashish Nehra noted that the 2027 ODI World Cup is still some time away and things can change quickly in cricket. He added that it is too early to determine whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be part of India’s plans for the tournament. He said: “It is too far away. When it comes to international cricket, the World Cup is still around 13 months away. We have seen, not just in Indian cricket but in every sport, how much things can change even in two or three weeks.”
Rohit has amassed 11,895 runs in 288 games, including 62 fifties and 34 centuries, while Kohli has scored 14,941 runs in 314 matches, with 79 fifties and 54 centuries to his name.
