Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (AFP Photo)
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has offered crucial advice to cricket stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma regarding their prospects for the 2027 ODI World Cup. This comes after chief selector Ajit Agarkar’s announcement of Shubman Gill as the new ODI captain, a role previously held by Rohit Sharma.
Both Kohli and Rohit have notably scaled back their international commitments, having opted out of T20Is in 2024 and Test cricket in early 2025. Their current focus primarily lies on bilateral ODIs, which have become less frequent due to commercial considerations, alongside their participation in the IPL T20 tournament.
On his YouTube channel, Pathan emphasized the importance of maintaining ‘game fitness’ for the senior players. “Rohit and Virat want to play the 2027 World Cup, but game fitness will be a big challenge for them. Rohit has worked well on his fitness. He is focused on that. But there is regular fitness, and game time fitness… If you are not playing regular cricket, both of them have to ensure some game time. They have to play domestic cricket,” Pathan stated.
He further elaborated on the need for consistent match exposure: “They are big players and know what to do. They have all the experience in the world. But they are not even playing T20Is, so there will be big gaps between the few matches that they play before the big World Cup. They will need regular game time to be fit for that. Only then will their dream to play the 2027 World Cup come true.”
Gill’s captaincy journey will officially begin with the upcoming ODI tour of Australia. Subsequently, India’s domestic cricket season, featuring the prestigious Vijay Hazare Trophy (a List-A tournament), will get underway in the winter. It is noteworthy that neither Kohli nor Rohit has featured in this domestic competition for several years.
Pathan also commented on Gill’s significant leadership appointment. “There is a leadership change; Gill will lead in both formats now. This is a big opportunity but a huge responsibility too. He has to take forward Virat’s legacy in Test cricket and Rohit’s legacy in white-ball cricket. This is a challenging but exciting phase for him as he is already batting well; he will need to keep that form going,” he concluded.
Shubman Gill’s elevation to captaincy marks a pivotal moment, as he steps into the shoes of one of India’s most accomplished white-ball leaders. This transition ushers in a new era for Indian cricket, placing substantial new responsibilities on the young captain’s shoulders.