Former Indian middle-order batter Ajinkya Rahane, who recently announced his retirement from all forms of the game, has come out in support of the veteran batting duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Speaking at an Idea Exchange Interview, Rahane has asserted that the captain and team management should back the talismanic batting duo and let them play freely, adding that there shouldn’t be any discussions around them.
“We should let them play freely. Everyone gets to that stage in their careers, but seniors also like it when the captain and the team management back them. Let them just play till the 2027 World Cup,” Ajinkya Rahane said at an Idea Exchange interview.
During the recently concluded three-match ODI series against England, which India lost 1-2, there were multiple reports that Rohit would play his last ODI at Lord’s. However, Hitman smacked an exceptional century to shut down his critics.
“I think it is important to tell Rohit Sharma he is going to play the 2027 ODI World Cup. Just look at his contribution over several years. It has been amazing. You need the experience of such a player at a World Cup. There should be no discussions around it. You can’t look at it series by series because he is such a big player,” he added.
Furthermore, the former middle-order batter clarified that Rohit’s experience would be pretty useful for the Men In Blue in the 2027 mega event, highlighting the explosive opening batter’s intensity and attitude.
“Cricket is a game of rhythm, whether you are a youngster or an experienced player. There is no need to talk about his quality. There should be no debate. If he wants to play the 2027 World Cup, he should play. You can’t doubt his intensity and attitude. Performances can go up and down, but his experience could be useful in crucial matches,” he concluded.
