BCCI President Mithun Manhas has made it clear that for the 2027 ODI World Cup, the fitness and performance, not the age, of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be important. He also talked about the benefits that Team India captain Shubhman Gill gets from the experience of senior players.
Tezzbuzz Desk – Amidst the ongoing discussion regarding the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in Indian cricket, BCCI President Mithun Manhas has given an important statement. He said that the basis for selection of players for the 2027 ODI World Cup should not be their age, but fitness and performance on the field. With his statement, the discussion on the possibilities of both the legendary batsmen playing in next year's World Cup has once again intensified.
Fitness and performance will be the basis of selection, not age.
Mithun Manhas said in an interview to Sportstar that if a player is fit, performing well and winning matches for the country, then these things should be given priority in selection. According to him, age should not be made a criterion for selection.
However, Manhas also clarified that the final decision will be taken by the selectors and coaches. In such a situation, the place of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the World Cup team will depend on their performance and fitness.
What will be the age of Rohit and Virat in 2027?
By the time of the proposed ODI World Cup in October-November 2027, Rohit Sharma would have turned 40, while Virat Kohli would have turned 38. Both players have retired from Test and T20 International cricket and are currently representing India in the ODI format.
In such a situation, his performance in the upcoming ODI matches will be important for the preparations for the World Cup.
Shubman Gill will get help from senior players
Referring to Indian team captain Shubman Gill, Manhas said that the presence of experienced players in the team will be beneficial for them. He said that the experience of players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya can help Gill in big matches.
He also mentioned the roles of other players including Jasprit Bumrah and said that distribution of responsibilities in the team will be important. According to Manhas, the experience of senior players can be useful to the team in pressure situations.
Will also keep an eye on New Zealand series
India's tour of New Zealand is to start from October 22. Five T20 Internationals, five ODIs and two Test matches are to be played in this tour. The ODI series is scheduled from November 4 to 15.
The performance of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will also be monitored during this series. However, it is clear from the statement of the BCCI President that the place of any player for the World Cup has not been decided yet and the selection will be decided on the basis of fitness and performance only.