Ajit Agarkar clarified that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli won’t be judged after every series.
While the upcoming three-match ODI series against India will mark the eagerly awaited return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the India setup after seven months, the concerns over their 2027 ODI World Cup ambition continue to swirl.
With the BCCI naming Shubman Gill as India’s new ODI captain, speculation has intensified over whether the veteran duo, who will exclusively feature in ODIs, will be judged with every series going forward in the build-up to the next World Cup.
Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2025, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar dismissed the notion that Rohit and Kohli would be evaluated after every series till the next ICC’s 50-over format. He also emphasized that both batters have achieved so much in their career so far, and will not be ‘put to the test’ in every match they play from now on, confirming that neither short-term failures nor immediate success would determine their 2027 World Cup prospects.
“That will be a big series for the guys — one averages over 50 and the other close to it. You’re not going to put them on trial for every game,” Agarkar said. “2027 is still a long way away. Both of them play only one format now and haven’t played much since the Champions Trophy final on March 9. Once they start playing again, we’ll assess the situation. It’s about winning trophies, not just scoring runs. It’s not that if they don’t score in one series, they won’t be there, or if they score three hundreds, they automatically will. We’ll have to see how the team shapes up and take things as they come,” he added.
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Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli last played for India in the Champions Trophy 2025 final, where Rohit was adjudged Player of the Match, and Kohli finished as India’s second leading run-getter with 218 runs in five matches.
Albeit they featured in the IPL 2025, both have been away from the game for nearly five months and haven’t played a competitive match since then, raising concerns about their form and rhythm. Age is another factor, as Rohit will be 40 and Kohli 38 by the time of the 2027 World Cup, prompting questions about whether they can still meet the expectations and sustain peak fitness and intensity going forward.
At the moment, the duo is set to return in action with the three-match ODI series against Australia, starting October 19 at Perth, followed by matches on October 23 and 25.
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