“‘Had a Long Call with Rohit Sharma’: Exit Rumors Quelled, but Pathan Warns of World Cup Challenges for Virat Kohli”

Irfan Pathan highlighted a significant challenge for both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the 2027 ICC 50-over World Cup.

Irfan Pathan Confirms Rohit Sharma’s ODI Future, Debunks Retirement Rumours

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan on Tuesday dismissed retirement rumours surrounding Rohit Sharma ahead of his anticipated return to ODI cricket on India’s upcoming Australia tour. Pathan revealed that during a recent telephone conversation with the 38-year-old captain, Rohit expressed his strong desire to continue playing and aim for the 2027 World Cup.

Speculation about Kohli and Rohit’s international future was sparked last month after reports suggested the Australia tour could mark their swansong, implying neither would feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup squad.

However, Rohit’s recent performance in the mandatory pre-season fitness tests at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru—particularly the demanding Bronco test—signaled that he remains in peak condition. Pathan shared, “I have been following those fitness tests. This new test is not easy either. Once you clear it, it means your fitness is top-notch. I also had a long call to learn about his future plans, and he said he is very keen on continuing to play. This guy has been a fantastic leader, outstanding white-ball cricketer, and ODI cricket great. We still go back to that 2023 ODI World Cup final, and it was Rohit who had the biggest heartbreak. But he wants to continue as a player.”

Pathan’s comments put to rest the speculation, reaffirming Rohit Sharma’s commitment to India’s white-ball cricket and his ambition for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

‘But the challenge will be…’

Irfan Pathan also highlighted a potential hurdle for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli: the limited number of ODI matches leading up to the 2027 World Cup. India is scheduled to play 27 ODIs before the tournament, but Pathan expressed concern over the lack of game time outside the 50-over format, as both veterans have retired from Tests and T20Is.

“As I said earlier as well, age does not matter if a player is fit. But the challenge will be to have game time, because there will be a lot of gaps in terms of playing 50-over cricket. There won’t be any problem with motivation when it comes to playing for India, be it Kohli or Rohit, or Shami, but what matters is how much cricket they can continue playing and the game time they have, in whatever format. Kohli and Rohit have retired from Tests and T20Is, so this will be the only challenge they have,” Pathan explained.

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