Correspondent, 21 October: BCCI President Mithun Manhas has addressed the ongoing speculation regarding the participation of veteran Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the 2027 ODI World Cup. Speaking to 'Sportstar', Manhas clarified that age will not be a hindrance for the duo. Instead, their selection for the tournament, scheduled to be held across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in October and November 2027, will depend entirely on two specific conditions: fitness and performance.
"In my view, fitness and actual on-field performance should be the criteria for team selection. There should be no age barrier. If a player is fit, performing well, and winning matches for the country, that is the most essential thing," Manhas stated. Previously, the selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar had formulated a complete plan to exclude Rohit from the squad to provide an opportunity for Yashasvi Jaiswal. However, Rohit managed to retain his position following his outstanding performance in England. According to the original information, having retired from T20 and Test cricket, both legends are now representing India exclusively in the ODI format.
Under Rohit Sharma's leadership in 2023, India advanced to the ODI World Cup final but ultimately had to settle for the runner-up position against Australia. Looking ahead, the Indian squad is set to embark on a major tour of New Zealand. Against this backdrop, Manhas also commented on Shubman Gill's leadership. He pointed out that Gill has served as the Gujarat Titans captain for the past two to three years, an experience that will aid him at the beginning of the World Cup campaign. Manhas added that Gill will gain an advantage from having experienced players like Virat, Rohit, and Hardik Pandya in the squad, while also noting that a player like Jasprit Bumrah is capable of leading.
Meanwhile, the Indian squad for the upcoming Test series has been announced. The team includes Shubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj.
