Veteran opener Rohit Sharma, who is only active in the ODI format for India, had returned to international cricket with a bang on the tour of Australia last October, earning the Player-of-the-Series award. He carried that momentum into the home series against South Africa and the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Mumbai.
The 38-year-old, however, failed to make a mark in the ongoing three-match ODI series against New Zealand, returning with underwhelming scores of 26, 24 and 11.
After his dismissal in the series-deciding third ODI at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday (January 18), questions were once again raised on Rohit’s “hunger” and whether he has enough fuel in the tank to play in 2027 World Cup.
Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull put the former India skipper’s “hunger” under scrutiny while commentating. Notably, Rohit has repeatedly said he wants to chase the dream of lifting the ODI World Cup for one last time in South Africa, having failed to cross the semi-final hurdle in 2015 and 2019 and the final barrier in 2023.
“I feel with Rohit, he's always had something to chase, as in a goal in mind, whether it be a T20 World Cup, whether it be a 50-over World Cup. I just wonder, that 27 World Cup in South Africa, is that too far away? Does he have that real hunger? Maybe it's just, I mean, it's different every year, isn't it? Because we're building up. We seem to be building up as national sides, no matter who you are. Each year, you're building up to a different format of an ICC event, aren't you?” asked Doull on-air.
“The last little while and coming up for the next two weeks, we're building up to a T20 World Cup. So there's very little one-day cricket played in the last four months and in the next three or four months. Next year, I'm guessing, or later this year and going into next year, there'll be an absolute diet of 50-over cricket. When you're only playing one format, you don't get huge amounts of opportunities. The next time he's in the Indian uniform will be, what, July in the UK? It's a long way away,” he added.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri also shared his two cents during commentary, saying it will all boil down to Rohit's appetite, considering he has achieved most of the things in his career.
“That's the key, isn't it? That's the right word. How hungry you are. It's the hunger. It's the desire. Especially when you achieve the most things in the game,” said Shastri.
Rohit, along with Virat Kohli, will next turn up for India during the tour of England in July. Before that, both stalwarts will represent their respective franchises in the IPL 2026 season, slated to get underway on March 26.
