Former India and Chennai Super Kings star Suresh Raina has backed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to be part of India’s squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup, highlighting the value of their experience in major international tournaments. The 2027 ODI World Cup is scheduled to be held across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in October-November.

Rohit Sharma will be 40 and Virat Kohli 39 when the tournament gets underway, but Raina believes age should not be the sole factor in determining their places if they remain capable of contributing at the highest level. Suresh Raina pointed to the experience both former India captains have gained over years of international cricket. According to the 2011 World Cup winner, having Kohli and Rohit in the squad could give India additional confidence and composure in high-pressure matches.

“We have a run machine at home, and we have a great captain who has won so many trophies in the IPL and for the country. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli need no introduction because I have played a lot of matches with them,” Suresh Raina was quoted as saying by Rediff.

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“This time, we are playing the World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe, and I think having both of them in the team gives us a 90 percent chance of winning the trophy,” he added.

Kohli and Rohit were among India’s leading performers during the 2023 ODI World Cup on home soil. Kohli finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, accumulating 765 runs in 11 matches at an average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.31. His campaign included three centuries and six fifties.

Rohit was equally influential at the top of the order, scoring 597 runs in 11 matches at an average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.94. He registered one century and three fifties while leading India to the final. India won every match in the tournament before Australia defeated them in the title clash in Ahmedabad.

Kohli also boasts one of the strongest records in ODI World Cup history. He has scored 1,795 runs in 37 World Cup matches at an average of 59.83 and a strike rate of 88.20. His tally includes five centuries and 12 half-centuries, with only Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him on the all-time list with 2,278 runs.

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Rohit ranks fourth on the World Cup run-scoring chart, with 1,575 runs in 28 matches at an average of 60.57 and a strike rate of 105.49. He has seven World Cup centuries and six fifties.

Rohit was notably left out of India’s 2011 World Cup squad but has since established himself as one of the tournament’s most productive batters. With both Kohli and Rohit approaching the latter stages of their careers, their ODI futures will remain an important talking point ahead of the 2027 World Cup.