Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired from T20 Internationals and Test cricket. Former Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly made a significant comment regarding Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s ambition to play in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. He pointed out that it won’t be easy for them, as the Indian cricket team is scheduled to play only 15 ODI matches per year.
These two Indian cricket legends are gradually stepping away from the game. After winning the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, both Rohit and Kohli announced their retirement from T20Is. Recently, they also retired from Test cricket just before the ongoing series against England.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will now focus solely on ODIs. Both have expressed their desire to continue playing until the ICC World Cup 2027. However, their appearances on the field are expected to be limited, given the relatively few ODIs India will play leading up to the tournament.
Moreover, sustaining their performance over such a long period won’t be easy. With the World Cup still two years away and both players in their late 30s, maintaining fitness and form for the limited number of matches will be a challenging task for them.
Sourav Ganguly on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli: “We All Must Realize That, Like Everyone Else, the Game Will Eventually Move On from Them”
Sourav Ganguly acknowledged that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will eventually step away from the game. When asked whether they will feature in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027, he shared his thoughts with PTI:
“All of us must understand that, just like everyone else, the game will move away from them, and they will move away from the game. Playing in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 won’t be easy, especially with 15 matches a year,” he said.
When asked if he had any advice for the two stars, Ganguly responded, “I have no advice. I believe they know the game as well as I do. They will make their own decisions.”
He also spoke about finding a replacement for Virat Kohli, saying, “I wasn’t concerned at all. Virat is a class player, and it will take time to find his replacement. But beyond that, I wasn’t surprised.”
