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Sun, Nov 16, 2025 | Jumada al-Awwal 25, 1447 | Fajr 05:16 | DXB 
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Rohit, Kohli's 2027 World Cup hopes depend on a big decision
Indian captain Shubman Gill admitted that a big decision needs to be made after India's next one-day series against South Africa which will start on November 30
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s refusal to add fuel to the retirement rumours kept the hopes alive of their legions of fans who want to see the two icons in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Their vintage performance may have earned India only a consolation win in the inconsequential third match of the Australia ODI series on Saturday, but in the grand scheme of things, their match-winning stand holds a much deeper significance.
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Rohit (121 not out off 125 balls, 13 fours and 3 sixes) was sublime; his lazy elegance and the rare ability to hit the ball effortlessly out of the park brought the Australian attack to their knees.
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Kohli (74 not out off 81 balls, 7 fours), on the other hand, raised his fist after getting off the mark — a small gesture of relief after his back-to-back ducks in the first two ODIs at Perth and Adelaide — as the crowd roared the master batsman on.
He was happy to play the second fiddle by picking the ones and twos and finding the boundaries in between, allowing Rohit to feast on the Aussie bowlers.
On a glorious Sydney evening, which saw Indian fans outnumber the local supporters at the historic ground, it was beautiful to see the two ageing superstars in tandem as they silenced the doubters.
Not ready to give up
At the post-match interview, both were dignified when Ravi Shastri and Adam Gilchrist threw questions at them, probably anticipating a big announcement.
With Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, refusing to reveal if Rohit, 38, and Kohli, 36, feature in India’s plans for the 2027 World Cup, media houses in the cricket-obsessed country were flooded with speculative stories.
But Rohit seemed to clear the air with one telling statement.
“When I came into the squad, I remember how seniors helped us; it's now our job to do the same,” said Rohit.
In one sentence, Rohit, who was replaced by Shubman Gill as ODI captain ahead of the Australia series, summed up the mood — that they are not ready to give up yet.
“We need to share our experience, help them create game plans,” he added. “I still go back to basics in Australia all these years. It's something I need to pass on…I love doing what I do and hope to continue to do that.”
Later at the post-match press conference after India’s nine-wicket win, Gill said he was pleased to see how well the two veterans played.
"They've been doing this for the past 15 years for us, and to be able to watch them play like this and get the team through unbeaten is really a treat to watch," Gill said.
"Seeing the ball fly off their bats and just hearing the sound that comes off their bat is something that tells you how good of a nick they're both in."
Watching Rohit and Kohli turn back the clock in Sydney was also a great learning experience for Australian batter Matt Renshaw.
“It was amazing to see them. I've never played against them in one-day cricket, and to see the way they went about things tonight, it could have been a tricky chase but they just took the game out of our control,” said Renshaw.
"The way that they got boundaries when they needed, got off strike when they needed to... as someone who's new to the ODI frame, watching two of the greatest go about it was actually a really good lesson for me to take notes in those middle overs."
When will they play again?
Kohli and Rohit will not be back in India colours until the last week of November when Gill’s team start their next ODI series against South Africa at home.
With the next World Cup still two years away, can Rohit and Kohli maintain their form for another shot at glory, having suffered a heartbreak against Australia in the 2023 World Cup final?
While nobody can ever point the finger at Kohli’s fitness standards, fans were surprised to see a leaner Rohit in Australia. The former India captain has worked incredibly hard on his fitness in the last three months, proving he is ready to go the extra mile to be a part of India’s World Cup plan.
But a lot will depend on whether they agree to play in India’s domestic one-day tournament.
The Indian cricket board is reportedly unwilling to compromise on players’ participation in domestic matches.
Now that both of them have retired from Tests and T20Is, the IPL is the only platform which gives them game time.
But to be in the ODI scheme of things, Rohit and Kohli will probably be instructed by India’s selectors and team management to play for their respective teams, Mumbai and Delhi, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s domestic one-day tournament, which starts on December 24.
Talks on the cards
Gill admitted on Saturday that the team management is likely to decide on how the two senior players should keep themselves match-ready.
“Right now, we haven't had any discussions. There's not much of a gap left for the South Africa series,” Gill said.
“There's a bit of a gap between the South Africa and New Zealand series (January 11-18, 2026). We will have discussions after the South Africa series (November 30-December 6, 2025), and we will decide on how to keep the players in touch.”
That was a strong enough hint that Rohit and Kohli will need to be back in the unglamorous world of domestic cricket to keep their 2027 World Cup hopes alive.
Rituraj Borkakoty
Rituraj Borkakoty is Sports Editor and has spent more than two decades writing on his sporting heroes. He also loves an underdog story, so if you have one, share it with him. He would love to bring it to life.
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