Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has sparked a significant debate by questioning the likelihood of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma participating in the 2027 ODI World Cup. According to Harbhajan, the fact that both players have stepped away from all other formats except ODIs could prove detrimental to their chances of maintaining form and rhythm over such a long period.

Following India’s triumphant run in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Kohli and Rohit announced their retirements from T20Is, ending their careers in the shortest format on a high. They’ve also stepped away from Test cricket ahead of the current five-match series against England. While both superstars continue to feature in the IPL for their respective franchises, their international future now lies solely in the 50-over format—raising concerns about continuity and competitiveness.

Harbhajan, while speaking on his YouTube channel, highlighted the potential risks of sporadic participation. “2027 is still a long way off. If they’re only playing one format, it will be extremely tough. No matter how big a name or how committed you are, the game keeps evolving. If you’re not playing regularly, you risk being left behind,” Harbhajan Singh said, as quoted by Sportskeeda.

ALSO READ: Ravichandran Ashwin Hails Anshul Kamboj As The Next Zaheer Khan Of Indian Pace Attack

He went on to cite MS Dhoni’s late career as a parallel. “Just look at Dhoni in the IPL over the past few years. He was still brilliant as a leader, but his on-field impact wasn’t the same as when he was playing international cricket regularly,” Harbhajan Singh added. However, he refrained from suggesting whether Kohli and Rohit should aim for the 2027 edition.

India, in the build-up to the 2027 World Cup, are expected to play 27 ODIs. A white-ball tour to Bangladesh, which was to include three ODIs in August, has reportedly been postponed due to political unrest in the region.

Despite their glittering resumes, Rohit and Kohli haven’t yet lifted an ODI World Cup together. Kohli was part of India’s victorious squad in 2011, while the duo narrowly missed out in 2023 after a heartbreaking loss to Australia in the final. Kohli finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 765 runs, with Rohit closely behind at 597.

WATCH – Harry Brook Reflects On Heated Sledging vs India: “It Was 11 vs 2, But We Enjoyed It”

Both are expected to make their international returns later this year in the limited-overs series against Australia and South Africa. Kohli, with 14,181 ODI runs at an average of 57.88, and Rohit, with 11,168 runs at 48.76, remain two of the most decorated batters in the format’s history.