Rohit, Kohli need to play domestic cricket if they want to play in World Cup, Ganguly says

Dubai: Since the announcement of the Australia ODI series, much of the attention has naturally shifted to Indian cricket veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. A key question doing the rounds is whether the two stalwarts will still be part of the setup for the 2027 World Cup. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes that their future will ultimately depend on a combination of age, fitness, and continued performance — and he emphasised the importance of domestic cricket in staying match-ready.

“It all depends on how fit they remain and how consistently they perform,” Ganguly said on Thursday. “Whatever opportunities come their way, they must play domestic cricket. Cricket is a game where you have to keep playing to stay in form and maintain your rhythm. It’s the same in life — you have to keep doing it. If they stay fit and keep performing, they’ll continue playing for India.”

India recently named their squads for the upcoming white-ball series in Australia, and notably, Shubman Gill has replaced Rohit Sharma as the ODI captain. The tour begins with three ODIs from October 19, followed by a five-match T20I series starting October 29.

Addressing Rohit’s exclusion, Ganguly suggested that the decision was likely a mutual one rather than a sacking. “I’m sure there were discussions with Rohit. I wouldn’t call it a sacking. He’s been an exceptional leader. Over the past two years, he’s led India to a T20 World Cup win and also to a Champions Trophy title. So performance has never been the issue with Rohit.”

Ganguly further reflected on the selectors’ likely thought process. “Looking ahead, Rohit will be 40 when the 2027 World Cup takes place in South Africa. He doesn’t play T20s anymore, so he won’t feature in the 2026 T20 World Cup in India. Age becomes a significant factor in sports — 40 is a big number. Rohit has had a long, successful career, but there’s no certainty he’ll still be playing at that age. That’s just the reality of sport.”

He concluded by noting that no player is immune to the passage of time. “Even 10 years from now, when Shubman Gill approaches 40 after scoring 12,000 or 13,000 runs, he’ll face the same situation. This happens to everyone — whether it’s Federer, Sampras, Nadal, or Maradona — every great eventually has to step away.”