Arriving at the post-match press conference after India's thumping 2-0 Test series win against West Indies, head coach Gautam Gambhir was not asked about India's emphatic performance with bat and ball in two Tests, but about the concerned ODI future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Although the main motive about the conference were the pros and cons of the West Indies series, the head coach had to clarify his stance about the future of the two stalwarts of the Indian team, and their places for the ODI World Cup 2027.
Gambhir, who comes across as a blunt and straightforward person, did not hold back while answering the question. The southpaw stated that it was a stance taken by the BCCI selection committee chief, Ajit Agarkar. Echoing the former player's remarks, Gambhir said the World Cup is two years away, making it crucial to focus on the task in hand: the upcoming Australia tour.
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“ODI World Cup is two and a half years away. It is important to stay in the present. They are both quality players. Hopefully, those 2 will have a successful tour,” Gambhir said in the press conference.
Notably, the ODI cricket is the only format where the duo are still active after retiring from Test and T20Is, and it is yet to be seen how long Rohit and Kohli continue to play the 50-over format. By the time the World Cup comes, the Mumbai batter will be 40 and the RCB star will be 39. Rohit was also replaced by Shubman Gill as the ODI captain.
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Rohit and Kohli last featured for India in the Champions Trophy 2025 event in March. While the former was named player of the match for his match-winning knock against New Zealand, the latter finished the event as the top five batters, continuously guiding India to victories throughout the campaign. Fans, experts, and critics have been discussing the future of Kohli and Rohit in the ODIs.
With Gill being the ODI leader, the BCCI's stance is clear that they want to build a core of the team ahead of the ODI WC 2027 event. However, whether Rohit and Kohli will play the showpiece event remains to be seen based on their form and fitness.
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