Rohit Sharma was recently replaced by Shubman Gill as ODI captain.
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee took a tough call of removing Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain last week.
Despite leading India to the Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year, the 38-year-old was not considered for the leadership role when the selectors sit together to pick the ODI squad for the upcoming Australia tour.
With the ODI World Cup scheduled in two years’ time, the baton was passed over to Shubman Gill, who was also named the Test skipper following Rohit's retirement in May 2025.
While Rohit Sharma continues to feature in the 15-member squad as a specialist batter, it’s unclear whether he is in the scheme of things for the quadrennial event in South Africa.
Amid the latest development, former cricketer Mohammad Kaif has made a bold statement, citing that Rohit Sharma will feature prominently in the 2027 ODI World Cup despite being relieved of captaincy duties.
“He will definitely play, boss. Look, the captaincy may have been taken away from him, but I believe that as an opener, Rohit Sharma will do his job,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
He added, “You need an experienced batter in the side. You can’t go to South Africa with an entirely young team. Sometimes in those seaming conditions, the ball moves a lot and the pitches are bouncy. If you take only new players there, they’ll get exposed.”
Kaif acknowledged Rohit’s ability to handle pace and bounce, saying, “That’s why I feel you need a player who can handle the bounce, who can pull and cut the rising deliveries just like Rohit Sharma does. On those kinds of pitches, I believe Rohit Sharma will perform even better. His batting style as an opener suits such conditions perfectly. He plays the rising ball, the one that bounces from the front, extremely well. Among all the players you can name, Rohit Sharma is the only one who handles that rising delivery so effectively.”
Mohammad Kaif also stressed the importance of combining youth with experience in marquee tournaments.
“Just look at his numbers, his years of experience. On a big stage like the World Cup, you need players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, players who have seen the world and experienced ups and downs. In a tournament like the World Cup, you’re going to lose a game or two in between, then you’ll need to make a comeback. You’ll face those do-or-die matches where you must win to reach the quarterfinals or top four. In such crucial situations, the roles of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli become absolutely vital,” he remarked.