Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli called time on their T20I career following the T20 World Cup triumph in 2024, while they stepped away from the Test format in May this year.

There has been no ODI cricket for India since the end of IPL 2025, and the next series is scheduled in Australia later this month.

Ahead of their much-awaited return to international cricket, legendary Sunil Gavaskar has commented on Rohit and Kohli’s future in the ODI format, suggesting that their chances of playing the 2027 World Cup will depend largely on how many one-day games India play over the next few years.

On Saturday (October 4), the BCCI selectors announced India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series in Australia. The Ajit Agarkar-led panel removed Rohit from ODI captaincy and handed over the reins to young opener Shubman Gill, with the 2027 World Cup firmly in sight.

Rohit and Kohli, two of India’s modern-day greats, continue to feature in the 15-member squad for the tour Down Under, ensuring that experience remains integral to India’s transition.

“It depends to a great extent on the number of one-day matches that India plays over the next couple of years. Look, it’s not easy to be playing just seven or eight ODIs in a season while preparing for something as big as a World Cup,” Gavaskar told India Today.

The 76-year-old stressed that maintaining match readiness will be a challenge for the veteran duo as bilateral ODIs have reduced considerably in recent years.

“For those eight white-ball matches, there are probably five T20s and three ODIs. That is not giving much in terms of exposure or practice for players who are approaching the latter stages of their careers,” he added.

According to Gavaskar, regularly turning up in domestic cricket could be the way forward if Rohit and Kohli want to keep their World Cup dreams alive.

“They will have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy in India whenever it’s scheduled, if it doesn’t clash with any international ODI tournaments. That’s one way to stay in trim and maintain match practice,” he said.

Gavaskar also suggested that their availability for the upcoming Australia ODI series was no coincidence.

“I’m pretty certain that if this were a trip to Zimbabwe or the West Indies, both of them would not have been available. But because this is in Australia, and because India lost to Australia in the World Cup final, maybe that is the reason why both of them have decided, yes, I want to be available for this,” he remarked.