Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar says he does not foresee Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli playing the 2027 ODI World Cup as is being widely anticipated after the duo announced its Test retirement.
Gavaskar, who regards them as colossal figures in Indian cricket, does not believe that their recent Test retirement and last year’s T20 retirement will have a bearing in enhancing their chances of playing the 2027 showpiece.
“No, I don’t think they will be playing,” Gavaskar told ‘Sports Today’.
“…I’m being very honest, I don’t think they’ll be there. But who knows in the next year or so, they strike this rich vein of form and they keep scoring hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and even God can’t drop them.”
The pair was instrumental in India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year.
“Well, they have been massive performers in this format of the game. Do we feel that they will be in the team for the 2027 World Cup? Will they be able to make the kind of contribution they have been making?
“So that’s going to be the thought process of the selection committee. And if the selection committee feels that ‘yes’, they will still be making that huge contribution that they have been making, then both of them will be there for that,” added Gavaskar.
The former India captain wasn’t surprised by Kohli’s timing and said both players might have taken the decision after conversations with selectors, and appreciated that they exited on their own terms.
…for both these wonderful, wonderful cricketers to go out on their own terms is what everybody wanted and that’s what has happened. They have gone out where they have told the world that they have had enough.”
Gavaskar gave credit to the current chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar for working in the interest of Indian cricket.
“I’ve never been a selector, so I wouldn’t know. But that is exactly what you want to do. You want to see the growth of the team. You want to see the team move forward at pace.