Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya have emerged as two of the biggest fitness concerns for Indian cricket as the BCCI begins shaping its plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Both senior players have been named in India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan, but their long-term workload and availability are already under close watch.
The biggest question around Hardik Pandya is whether he can reliably bowl his full quota of 10 overs in ODI cricket. That issue has become increasingly important for the selectors, who want a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder available for the World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa in October-November next year. Earlier this year, the BCCI Centre of Excellence reportedly did not clear Pandya to bowl 10 overs in January, which eventually led to his omission from the ODI series against New Zealand.
Pandya’s recent back spasm, which ruled him out of three Mumbai Indians matches in IPL 2026, has only added to the uncertainty. Even though he has returned to the MI setup, the selectors are still waiting to see whether he can withstand the demands of repeated spells at the international level.
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“While he has rejoined the team, it is not ascertained how he needs to prove his fitness. The selectors are only worried about him not bowling 10 overs,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying.
Rohit Sharma’s situation is different, but equally significant. The selectors are reportedly concerned about whether the India opener can manage the physical load of a full 50-over match. In the IPL, Mumbai Indians have often used him as an Impact Player, but that luxury does not exist in ODI cricket.
Rohit also suffered a hamstring injury midway through IPL 2026, which kept him away from action for nearly three weeks. According to reports, he did not report to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence during that period, increasing the discussion around his durability in high-intensity cricket.
“He has become lean, but there are concerns about his body being able to take the load of high-performance sport,” the source added. With the 2027 World Cup drawing closer, the selectors are also keeping an eye on backup opening options.
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Yashasvi Jaiswal remains part of the future plan, while Ishan Kishan has been included as a flexible option who can also open. The idea is to ensure India are not left short if Rohit is unavailable or if one of the other top-order batters picks up an injury. For now, both Rohit and Pandya remain central to India’s ODI plans, but their fitness will likely define how those plans shape up over the next year.
