BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia’s public backing of Rohit Sharma, coupled with the expected departure of chief selector Ajit Agarkar, may appear to have eased the former India captain’s immediate concerns. However, questions over Rohit’s place in India’s ODI plans for the 2027 World Cup have not disappeared completely.

Agarkar was reportedly keen for India to look beyond Rohit and use the remaining ODIs before the 2027 World Cup to give Yashasvi Jaiswal a sustained opportunity. The selectors were believed to view the period as an ideal window to introduce Jaiswal and give him enough international exposure. However, the BCCI appears to have taken a different approach, with Rohit included in India’s squad for the upcoming West Indies ODI series.

Rohit has also strengthened his case with his performances in 2026. His 138 at Lord’s came at a crucial juncture, particularly with speculation surrounding his international future. He has otherwise shown that he remains capable of producing significant contributions in the ODI format.

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Yet, according to a Moneycontrol report, the selectors had several concerns when they considered moving on from the veteran opener. One of the key arguments was that many of Rohit’s recent big scores came on batting-friendly surfaces rather than in more challenging conditions. His last two ODI centuries came after India had already conceded series defeats against Australia and England. That, however, does not take away from the quality of those individual performances.

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The report also highlighted the selectors’ view that Jaiswal needs regular exposure well before the 2027 World Cup. Introducing him only at the last minute could leave India with limited options if Rohit becomes unavailable.

Fitness has emerged as another consideration. Rohit Sharma, now 39, missed four consecutive IPL matches after suffering a hamstring injury. A source cited by the report suggested that the selectors were not treating Rohit and Virat Kohli’s fitness situations identically, pointing to differences in their physical levels.

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“Can he (Rohit) convert the ones into twos? … The next ODI World Cup is still more than a year away. Is there a guarantee that he will last until then?” the source said.

The source added that Jaiswal could be “undercooked” for the World Cup without sufficient preparation and stressed that the selectors had “de-hyphenated Rohit and Virat Kohli” on fitness considerations. The road ahead is now clear for Rohit: consistent performances and fitness will remain central to his ODI future.