Picture Credit: X
It has been months that India’s ODI captain Rohit Sharma and batting stalwart Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket, but continue to be part of the Indian setup as they remain active in the ODI format. While there has been a lot of chatter around their future in international cricket with some speculating the Australia white-ball series as their last international appearance, the two senior batters have continued to remain tight-lipped.
Not only the two veterans, but even the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has time and again dismissed talks of Rohit-Kohli’s retirement from international cricket anytime soon. But with the ODI World set to be played in 2027 and over a year left for it, former India cricketer Irfan Pathan recently revealed his conversation with Rohit Sharma.
Rohit Sharma is very keen to continue playing: Irfan Pathan
As the speculations continue, former India all-rounder his conversation with the 38-year-old. Speaking with Boria Majumdar on RevSportz, Pathan said, "I had a long chat with him about his future plans. He’s very keen to continue playing. Every player wants that, especially someone like him who has done so well. He’s been a fantastic leader and one of our greatest in white-ball cricket. We all remember the heartbreak of the 2023 World Cup final, especially for him. Those emotions matter, but he still wants to carry on and make his mark going forward.”
The former India international also added that if the players are able to keep their fitness, they can play, hinting that the duo might continue till the ODI World Cup 2027. “As long as the players are fit, age doesn’t really matter. The real challenge will be getting enough game time before the 2027 World Cup. There are going to be long gaps in ODI cricket until then—2025 is ongoing, 2026 will come, and then 2027...Playing for India has never been about motivation for players like Rohit, Virat, or Shami—that will always be there,” he added.
“The issue is purely about how much cricket they get to play, especially since they’ve retired from Tests and T20Is. If they manage to stay fit and overcome the challenge of limited game time, I don’t see any reason why they can’t continue until the 2027 World Cup,” the former all-rounder couched confidence on the two.
It is to be noted that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli - the two who last donned the India jersey at the Champions Trophy 2025 in February - March, were scheduled to return to action in action in the Bangladesh ODI series. But with the series being pushed back to 2026, they will now appear in the ODI series against Australia in October.
