Speculations are rife that Lord's ODI could mark the final international match of Rohit's illustrious career.
Speaking on his YouTube show 'Ash Ki Baat', Ashwin emphasized that no player enjoys being dropped, but they deserve an honest roadmap.
With rising talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal pushing for spots, Ashwin warned that leaving senior players to feel unwanted harms both their morale and on-field performances. He noted that players need to be either fully backed or clearly told it is time to move on so the team can transition properly.
“Yashasvi Jaiswal is pushing hard from behind. But if, as a selector, coach, captain or whoever the decision-maker is… …if you’ve already decided in your mind that these players are not going to the 2027 World Cup, and you don’t want them… then that should have been communicated immediately after the Champions Trophy. I know it’s a double-edged sword,” Ashwin said.
“If you go and tell players that you want to move on from them, no player will feel good about it. Even if the selectors or the coach had come to me in Australia and said, “We want to move past you. We’re done with you.” I would also have felt bad. I’d think, “One bad series… is that enough? Every player is allowed one poor series.” That’s how every player would feel. But once it’s done, you can at least say, “Okay… the communication was clear,” he added.
“Maybe it has already happened in Rohit’s case. Maybe it has happened in Virat’s case. Virat has been excellent. Rohit has been more than decent. So why have we allowed this to drag on until August 2026… …when there are only 10-12 months left before the 2027 World Cup in South Africa? Why has it come this far? That’s my only question,” he continued.
Ashwin also addressed the psychological toll that prolonged uncertainty can take on players of Rohit and Kohli’s stature.
“If either of those two players doesn’t feel wanted, two things will happen. First, they cannot perform at their best. Second, they will start feeling low about themselves for simply being there. Think about it once. If you’re in a house where people don’t want you to stay, can you really live comfortably in that house?” he remarked.
In the end, Ashwin expressed strong support for retaining the experience of Rohit and Kohli for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa.
“We’re going to South Africa in September-October. Do we need Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma? If you ask me, I would want that experience,” he concluded.