With a lot of chatter going around over Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on whether the two will be in the mix when the 2027 World Cup rolls in, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly said that age and performance would eventually decide their fate but they would have to play domestic cricket.
As I said, it depends on how fit they (Rohit and Virat) remain and how much performance they keep doing. Whatever opportunity they get, they have to play domestic cricket. Because cricket is a sport where you have to keep playing — otherwise, you lose the touch and the form and the contact. It is everything in life. You have to keep doing it. They have to play domestic cricket. That’s what it is. If they keep doing and performing, they will play for India,” Ganguly said on Thursday.
Rohit was replaced as the ODI captain by Shubman Gill when India announced their squads to play the upcoming white-ball series in Australia where they will take part in 3 ODIS starting October 19, followed by a five-match T20I series from October 29.
“I am sure Rohit must have been spoken to. So, I don’t know whether it is ‘sacking’ or anything. I am sure it is a mutual discussion. Because Rohit has been an outstanding leader. In the last two years, he has won the T20 World Cup. He has won the Champions Trophy. So, performance is not the issue with Rohit Sharma,” Ganguly said.
“And I think what’s gone in the selectors’ mind is, as he asked, in two years’ time he will be 40, when the World Cup happens in South Africa. He doesn’t play T20 cricket. So, he will not be a part of the World Cup in 2026 in India. But when they go to 2027 in South Africa, he will be 40 years old. And that’s a big number in sport. And he has played for so long. So, I don’t think anybody is sure whether Rohit will actually play when he is 40. So, I don’t think it’s the worst decision. It happens to everyone.” “There will not be any exception even in the future — 10 years down the line when Shubman Gill gets close to 40 and scores 12,000-13,000 runs. He will also have to face this situation. Because, as you know, in sport, whether it’s a (Roger) Federer, whether it’s a (Pete) Sampras, whether it’s a (Rafael) Nadal, whether it’s a (Diego) Maradona, they all have to finish someday,” he added.
