Former Indian cricketer Chetan Sharma has reckoned that only performances should dictate the veteran batting duo Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s selection in the Indian ODI team ahead of the World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Speaking to TOI, the former pacer termed the talismanic batting duo as Kohinoors of Indian cricket, adding that if they consistently score runs and win games, they should continue playing and brush aside all rumours.
“If they are fit and they are getting the runs, then why not? I am asking this question to everyone. I can understand that people are saying a hundred things. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are the ‘Kohinoors’ of Indian cricket. Age is just a number. If they are good, then why not? I myself was a selector. Rohit recently scored a century (138 against England at Lord’s in the third ODI on July 19). Virat, every game he gets one. Then what is the problem?” Chetan Sharma told TOI.
“We want players who can win games for us, and they both are capable of doing it. I love watching them when they come and bat for India and they win trophies for us. Rohit won us a trophy after so many years (when he captained India to their second T20 World Cup triumph, and first in 17 years). We should be grateful. We should not listen to other people,” he added.
Rohit and Virat scored 175 and 153 runs respectively in the India tour of England 2026 three-match ODI series in July 2026. India will take on the West Indies in a three-match home ODI series, starting on Sunday, September 27 in Trivandrum.
India’s ODI team vs WI: Shubman Gill [C], Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul [VC], Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir.
