‘Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Can Play Until the 2027 World Cup’ – Gautam Gambhir

Prepend to the Content

Read Original Content: ‘Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Can Play Until the 2027 World Cup’ – Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir, the newly appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, has backed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the veteran pair to continue playing until the World Cup 2027. 

Gambhir believes that Rohit and Kohli will be highly motivated to perform their best for the Champions Trophy 2025 and the Test series in Australia, and he has not ruled out the possibility of them playing beyond 2025. 

After securing victory in the T20 World Cup 2024 in the Caribbean last month, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20 internationals, while affirming their commitment to continue playing ODI and Test cricket. 

Here’s what Gautam Gambhir told media in the press-conference before heading to Sri Lanka for his first assignment as the head coach of the team:

“I think they have shown what they can deliver on the big stage, whether it’s the T20 World Cup or the 50-over World Cup. One thing I can be very clear about is that both of those guys have a lot of cricket left in them.” 

‘Hopefully, they can keep up the fitness’ – Gautam Gambhir 

Notably, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma opted for a break and weren’t available for the ODI series against Sri Lanka. However, after Gambhir made the request as it was his first assignment as head coach, the duo made themselves available for the series. 

“And more importantly, the Champions Trophy is coming up and a big tour of Australia, they will be motivated enough. And then hopefully, if they can keep their fitness, the 2027 World Cup is there,” Gambhir added.  

“This is a very personal decision. I can’t say how much cricket is left in them. Ultimately, it’s up to them. It’s up to the players (to decide) how much they can contribute to the team’s success. Ultimately, it’s the team that is important. Looking at what Virat and Rohit can deliver, they have a lot of cricket. They are still world-class. Any team would want both of them for as long as possible,” he added. 

The decision to retire from T20 internationals will lessen the burden for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, allowing them to concentrate on performing well in ODI and Test cricket, with a strong possibility of continuing until the World Cup 2027. 

Read Original Content: ‘Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Can Play Until the 2027 World Cup’ – Gautam Gambhir

ProBatsman