Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan feels the lower frequency of ODI cricket would not deter Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as they prepare for the 2027 World Cup, citing their experience and professionalism as vital reasons.
Dhawan, who spent the latter half of his career as a one-format player, recognized that limited match exposure might impact rhythm. He commented on the difficulty of remaining in flow when opportunities are spread out.
"Yes, when you play one format at the international level, your flow does get disrupted,” Dhawan said on PTI.
Additionally, Dhawan clarified that during these periods, particularly when games are infrequent, athletes frequently refocus their attention on maintaining optimal fitness. He did clarify, though, that seasoned players like Rohit and Kohli are capable of meeting that task.
"So, players focus on fitness because they are not playing too many games. You are talking about Rohit and Virat, and they are mature individuals. It is a challenge, but they know how to convert a challenge into an opportunity. If you look at their fitness, Virat was always fit, but Rohit has undergone tremendous transformation," he added.
Additionally, Dhawan emphasized how the scheduling in the run-up to the 2027 World Cup should benefit them by giving both players ample opportunity to establish a rhythm.
"Now with the 2027 WC round the corner, they will get to play a lot of ODI matches. If you look at the time when I became a one-format player, there were back-to-back T20 World Cups (2021 and '22), and I was playing ODIs, which were few and far between. So, matches won’t be a problem for Rohit and Virat, and there's enough time for the event,” Dhawan stressed.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have shown great form in ODIs for India. Rohit Sharma scored 650 runs in 14 matches at an average of 50, including two centuries and four fifties. However, against New Zealand recently, he managed only 61 runs in three games.
Kohli, on the other hand, has been in excellent form in this format. In 2025, he scored 651 runs in 13 matches with an average of 65.10, including three centuries and four fifties. He extended his form into 2026, scoring 240 runs at an average of 80 in a three-match one-day international series against New Zealand in January.
(PTI inputs)
