Veteran Indian opener Rohit Sharma has asserted that one doesn’t need to remind the talismanic Indian batter Virat Kohli about the World Cup’s importance. Notably, both Rohit and Kohli are set to feature in the next year’s mega event.
Speaking to JioStar in an exclusive interaction, Rohit showered praise on Kohli, who has featured in four ODI World Cups to date — 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023. Moreover, the forthcoming 2027 edition will be his fifth.
“No, no. He has been playing for so many years. Whether it’s the ’27 World Cup or the ’23 World Cup, there’s no need to explain it to him. World Cup is World Cup. And I’m pretty sure that everyone who is going to be part of the team understands the importance of a World Cup. And especially Kohli. I mean, the one who has played the most World Cups, I think in this team, it’s him,” Rohit said to JioStar.
“50-over World Cup: he played 2011, ’15, ’19, ’23. Four World Cups he has played. This will be the fifth. So obviously, he has played the most, so he knows the importance. So, this discussion does not happen. The discussion is about what we can do. When we are batting together, we are discussing about whom to attack, whom to take a single off, what to do,” he added.
Rohit has played 289 ODIs and scored 11,927 runs with 34 centuries and 62 fifties at an average of 48.88 and a strike rate of 93.04. On the other hand, Kohli has played 315 ODIs and scored 15,080 runs, including 55 centuries and 79 half-centuries, at an average of 59.13 and a strike rate of 94.30.
Having retired from T20Is and Tests, both Kohli and Rohit have kept their full focus on the next year’s ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
