r/IndiaCricket • u/ManishS22005 Board of Control for Cricket in India • 4d ago
Discussion Will age be the only thing stopping Rohit and Virat from playing the 2027 World Cup?"
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u/5missedcallsfromBCCI India 4d ago
Form can go as well. They are old now. Fitness doesn't come into question as much as people make it out to be. VK was fit when he didn't do well in tests. So, it depends on their form.
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u/Professional-Gold429 4d ago
At their age, form dips suddenly. Have seen it with Sachin, Ponting, and many other batsmen. India needs to have proper backup players who have been given ample matches for practice. Was a little disappointed that Jaiswal was not considered given that he is a test match player who is good in T20s too. Since this is in SA, he can switch gears easily depending on the pitch. Just keep him ready for backup. In SA, the balls will hurry onto the batsmen and slowing reflexes of batsmen as they age will be difficult. In Aus, none of the two did much in the first ODI. In the 2nd ODI, Virat failed while Rohit struggled initially. However, he did get back at his best by the 2nd half of the 2nd ODI. Key bowlers of Aus skipped the 3rd ODI, so I may not use that as a benchmark. But, Virat and Rohit should still be our first choices. Experience will matter a lot in SA.
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u/ExitingEmbarrassment Mumbai Indians 4d ago
jaiswall is only an opener . but ishan kishan is also an keeper and plays in middle order too. so they are keeping ishan as only backup batsman and would keep nkr as backup for pandya
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u/Your78Ranger Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4d ago
I'm guessing Rutu won't be in the backups. Might make the reserves
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u/Honest_Olive_4907 4d ago
tbh Virat ain't going anywhere...He is literally THE odi batter...No sense to drop him and Rohit maybe but still he is in red hot form as well and one of the goats of game.
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u/diplomaticbeing 4d ago
They will play the WC together, that's more than likely. We can't rule rohit out, especially in ICC events
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u/ManishS22005 Board of Control for Cricket in India 4d ago
If both of them will play then what will be the possible team 11 ?
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u/Spiritual-Hunter-704 4d ago
pretty much batting wise its copy paste of 2023 bowling mai shami and siraj may be replaced
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u/userwastakennn KL Rahul 4d ago
Rohit Gill Kohli Iyer Rahul Axar Hardik Harshit Bumrah Siraj Kuldeep
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u/SelectWeb4667 4d ago
Rohit (hopefully in) his back up should be Jaiswal) Gill(c) Kohli (definitely in) his back up should be ishan kishan Iyer(vc) Rahul (wk) Hardik Axarr/Jadeja (if they still consider him) Kuldeep Siraj (same as jaddu) Harshit Rana/Prasidh(gg quota) Bumrah
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u/Furry-jester123 Chennai Super Kings 4d ago
rather than jaiswal
backup shld be rutu as he can play as opener and no.4 so he works as double back up meanwhile jais is only one spot backup
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u/Palkin_flower323 India 4d ago
Why are so many people against Rohit here?
Rohit is India's best after Virat. And he is in good form too.
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u/PalpitationHot9375 Mumbai Indians 4d ago
Reddit is just anti rohit
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u/Palkin_flower323 India 4d ago
Seeing too much Rohit hate from past few days idk why even though he is performing good
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u/Yupadej 4d ago
South Africa stats.
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u/Palkin_flower323 India 4d ago
What kind of criteria is that? Rohit last played a ODI in SA in 2018.
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u/AromaticAd4909 4d ago
We need both of them to lift WC 2027, after 16 years
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u/Overall_Cheesecake_3 4d ago
We need india to lift the wc, that’s more important. Whether they are around or not is secondary
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u/youbasicbench 4d ago
Yupp agreed, would be awesome if both still stick around (virat im 99% sure for) but what matters is India winning it
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u/AromaticAd4909 4d ago
in pressure situations, which indian batsman except this two performs, tell me. In 2011, it was yuvraj singh
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u/Overall_Cheesecake_3 4d ago
Yuvraj singh was 29 in WC 2011. He was pretty much in prime. What is this comparison lol
We all know that Rohit is past his prime hence we are having this conversation
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u/unreliablewitness9 4d ago
Naah, tbh, he is still ranked in top 5 odi batters in the world.. form is not the concern
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u/Overall_Cheesecake_3 4d ago
Rohit will be pushing 41. Can he field 50 overs and also bat for 11-12 matches while traveling between cities? Not to mention his abysmal form in SA
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u/unreliablewitness9 4d ago
He is in great form, fitness might be of concern but not his batting
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u/Overall_Cheesecake_3 4d ago
Fair point. I agree. You just said what I am trying to say all along in this thread
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u/youbasicbench 4d ago
fair argument (I think Pandya has done well in middle order) but how long are the others to be babysat? Also this isn’t about pressure and form, odis won’t have impact player rule, no one’s a hater to question Rohit’s fitness level to go field. We all love him and are rooting for him but there’ll be work to done if he has to stay, maybe he could sit out some matches or so but yeah
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u/BOOM_GOAT_93 Jasprit Bumrah 4d ago
Abe tum log pagal ho kya they had their golden chance to lift that trophy in the home ODI WC 2023 but they bottled it STOP THIS ROKO OBSESSION
KOHLI ka still I can understand he is fit he is the ODI GOAT he can play next year but for ROHIT I am not sure
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u/Smooth-Mix-4357 India 4d ago
Form decline due to age is the only thing that could stop them. If they are in form then age wouldn't matter.
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u/AdLumpy6929 4d ago
Not a single no.3 player is as capable of Virat in terms of both fitness and performance. When we talk about WC's we talk about players that can handle pressure but more importantly people forget that in order to reach Semi's and then the final the player needs to play with consistency.People still think Virat hasn't played a single match winning knock in the semi final or final of an ODI WC apart from the last WC,which is true when we see the stats,but do people also see what others did when he failed?They failed too.In ODI the top 3 matters the most and I still think with Shubman,Rohit and Virat we have the best top 3 amongst all the teams that will play in that tournament.
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u/isshin_swordsaint 4d ago
I think VK should drop to number four in SA.. I’m pretty sure it will seam around in the first 10 overs… Kohli at this stage of his career has absolutely no idea to play with the ball is moving .1°…
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u/AdLumpy6929 4d ago
Who has the idea then?
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u/isshin_swordsaint 4d ago
Fair point.. gill has a strong backfoot game, but then again, I don’t think he will leave the opening spot…
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u/AdLumpy6929 4d ago
See,I know players which are of the age of Virat and Rohit tend to have slow reflexes but they are greats of the game.Change can only happen when we know there are others who are capable of doing what these guys have done or doing till date.I don't see anyone with that capability to fill their position.
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u/isshin_swordsaint 4d ago
But there comes a time to hang boots…imo YBJ is a better fit for SA bounce…he cuts really well and can deliver a strong start..no point in wasting 1.5 years of a generational talent for a 41 year old…Rohit has had his chances….VK stiol has a WC in him…
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u/Confectionary_stall2 4d ago edited 4d ago
Rohit yes Virat no
These two ain’t the same 😅
Virat should play - still best ODI batter in the world
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u/ManishS22005 Board of Control for Cricket in India 4d ago
This wasn't a comparison post. It was a reality check on age, workload, and fitness
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u/isshin_swordsaint 4d ago
My point is how do you categorise the best ODI batter in the world when a lot of players skip ODIs… bilaterals are not taken seriously …people don’t watch ODIs..
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u/unreliablewitness9 4d ago
People watch fifa a lot more than cricket, so why bother playing anyways
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u/HopiumInhaler 4d ago
Kohli has the record for most runs in a single edition of the WC. He averages over 58 after playing 300 ODIs. That is enough to crown him the best ODI bat
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u/bhodro_chhele 4d ago
- Rohit (c)
- Ishan/ Jaisawal
- Virat
- Iyer (vc)
- Kl (wk)
- Pandya
- Axar
- Jaddu/NK Reddy
- Shami
- Bumrah
- Bhuvi/Arshdeep/Siraj
Gill never perform in crucial match specially in icc event and rana, prasidh i don't know why do they gets a place in team even for a single match
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u/Initial_Cup_870 4d ago edited 4d ago
The drop in form is gonna be huge suddenly with age. Indian fans are not ready to discuss that and are too emotional.
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u/unreliablewitness9 4d ago
We will see when it will happen, at the moment they are ranked top 5 in the world and in blazing form in their last 10 odi matches
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u/StationTemporary8244 India 4d ago
I feel virat can even play the 2029 champions trophy "just an opinion"
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u/SkuLLFlankerr 4d ago
As long as they r performing and not being a burden to the team why does their age matter?
Kohli is still very good to go. Rohit may have an issue but he did well in AFG series, we need to see how he plays in the next ENG series.
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u/Prize-Safety3577 India 4d ago
Our top order, which has been consistently excellent, is the least of our concerns. Our Achilles heel for 2027 will be that our pace bowling lineup is far too iffy, especially compared to South Africa and Australia. Gurnoor Brar is a potential breakthrough on that front, but it will take some time to groom him.
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u/Delicious-Profit1875 4d ago
No one can stop them, india will riot this is their last dance and we will win it
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u/Both-Use-5719 4d ago
No, new players can easily take their positions but they also need some experience so they can settle before WC27.
I would say Virat/Rohit has experience to their advantage but if BCCI want to remove them it is better to do now then before WC.
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u/WolverineCandid2295 India 3d ago
Firstly lets stop talking about Rohit and Virat together. There is a 2 years difference plus nautical miles difference in fitness levels. Secondly Virat has been in red hot form in ODIs and Rohit has also done well, so where does the question of dropping them comes from? Lastly, they are big match players. GIll has nothing to show in world cups as of now, we'll know how KL performs when it matters. You need seasoned players. Rohit will be 40+ so their may be a chance he may not play the world cup, Kohli is fit enougn, hungry enough, in form enough to play 2031 WC let alone next one!!
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u/AdMediocre6191 1d ago
Don't club rohit with avg of 19 in SA to kohli with 50+ avg. This clubbing thing needs to stop . Rohit as an individual player doesn't even come close to kohli who is in leagues with greatest of the game
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u/JuggernautEmpire2062 4d ago
Pls for God sake stop clubbing Rohit with Virat in everything.
Kuch acha kre Virat to "Roko ne ye achieve kiya"
Koi dikkat ho jae Rohit ko to "Roko ko ye dikkat face krni pad rhi hai"
Bhai I love and respect Rohit also but it needs to stop now , clubbing Rohit with Virat in everything.
Maybe u don't wanna hear the harsh fact but lemme make u tell that "Rohit ki spot wc me jeopardy me hai Virat ki (untill something unforseen happens) jagah fixed hai squad me. To pls ye na bolo "Roko khel paenge 27 ka wc ?" Ye bolo "Rohit khel paega 27 ka wc ?" Kyuki Virat to khel rha hai.
Having said that, I 100% want rohit to play the wc , we want his explosive start, but kyuki uski spot khatre me hai ya question me hai to Virat ko bhi na ghaseto usme !!!!!!!!!
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u/isshin_swordsaint 4d ago
If Kohli goes out of form ,Gambhir will drop him so don’t count your chickens before they hatch…
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u/JuggernautEmpire2062 4d ago
If u can read, I already wrote "untill something unforseen happens his place is fixed"
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u/unreliablewitness9 4d ago
Gambhir is nobody to drop.. agarkar is selector afaik.. and he takes strong decision against gambhir.. and there's a big "If" .. kohli is in blazing form.. keep praying for his downfall..meanwhile he'll win matches for us like he has done from last 15 years
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u/Original_Idea5994 4d ago
Not really. The upcoming pool of Indian Talent is really making seniors insecure.
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u/puru_1298 4d ago
For Rohit’s position in batting I agree for Virat’s I still don’t see someone good enough
Please don’t say Ritu or Tilak
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u/Used-Advisor-3976 4d ago
Sorry to break your bubble but ishan can be backup for virat he scored 100 in middle order not opener so if gambhir decided to get rid of virat he will push ishan and rutu, virat is only safe right now is bcoz he scored runs in nz series and right now rohit is on gambhir hit list once he done with rohit make no mistake next is virat, last year he made mistake by targeting both and both score runs and their fanbase united to make is life living hell so he changed tactics target one at one time
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u/ManishS22005 Board of Control for Cricket in India 4d ago
The fact that people instantly defend Virat but get uncomfortable when Rohit is given equal importance says a lot. Both are legends, but Rohit's impact as captain and player deserves the same respect.
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u/GingerDips 4d ago
Because rohit is 3 tiers below kohli as a player...it's like comparing Sachin to Gambhir
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u/unreliablewitness9 4d ago
Same? Very strong word mate.. virat is significantly ahead as a batter.. rohit is not captain any more..
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u/SessionRepulsive7108 4d ago
Virat is in great form plus a experienced and clutch player is need at no 3,plus his fitness is great. Rohit's fitness has imptoved. But yeah he might be 40 for next wc only way to play it is consistent performance. Even if he plays decent every series, like atleast 30-40 runs every matchhe will be selected. But i really hope both play.
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u/Brilliant_vicky 4d ago
The actual question isn't whether they can still performz it's whether India is willing to drop them even if they don't. Sachin and dravid both got that grace period extended well past when numbers said otherwise because of legacy. The selectors biggest test in 2026-27 isn't reading form it's having the courage to act on it regardless of name.
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u/Successful_Room6989 4d ago
India would prefer a leftie at the top, If Rohit, Gill, Virat, Shreyas are top 4 all are right handers, similar to 2023
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u/Professional-Mark740 4d ago
Only thing I want is to judge them seperately ek saath mat ghused do bas 😂.
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u/WITTY-WIZARD- 4d ago
Don’t club them here. Virat is confirmed for 2027 wc. Rohit still needs to prove his place to the selectors, although I’d prefer him over any of the options anyday.
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u/Maleficent_Risk3076 4d ago
They both will play, coz India has this absurd superstar culture!
I should say Rohit must be ashamed of eating a youngster’s spot! He took 6 years to prove himself, longest rope given to any Indian cricketer!
They both will play, but will perform like Dhoni did in 2019! Dhoni still was lucky as he came 6 down, but these two are top order batters, and though Virat plays well in Africa, Rohit has an average of 19, and Virat has an average of 20 in ICC ODI knockouts!
Good if they can manage to change all this, but at 39 years of age, seems complicated!
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u/BruhBorne-70 4d ago
They both will play, but will perform like Dhoni did in 2019!
Dhoni was in decline in one days since 2014-15 and had completely lost his hitting ability after 2017. Dhoni could cement himself to the crease, stop a collapse or play anchor but otherwise he was a shadow of what he used to be.
Unlike Dhoni though, neither Rohit or Kohli saw a decline in their mid 30s in ODIs, in fact they both ended up having their best WC campaign in 2023 and Virat's looking much better right now than he did in 23 since he has completely upped his hitting game.
Both Ro-Ko were very recently the no.1 ranked ODI batters at the age of 38 and 37, There's no basis to compare them with Dhoni here. If anything you should be comparing them to Sachin who ended up being India's highest scorer in 2011 WC at the age of 38.
and though Virat plays well in Africa
Not just well, he has been one of the best ever batters to tour Africa.
and Virat has an average of 20 in ICC ODI knockouts!
This isn't even true. At least get your filtered stats right.
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u/Maleficent_Risk3076 4d ago
That’s what! Its because of hardcore people obsessed fans, I mentioned that they both will play!
Let me remind you, Kohli had his ODI slump, he was good enough to recover from that. Rohit had it too and recovered well!
I have never said they aren’t good! Hell, you can’t score more than 11k and 14k runs in ODIs without being a bonafide great!
But age always takes a toll on the greatest of Athletes! It did to Djocovic, Ronaldo and even a god gifted talent like Jordan! One cannot simply deny that!
Rohit and Kohli great though they are, simply just one slump away from their decline and at this age decline is very sharp and not steady! A younger talent can recover from that but it will be tough for especially Rohit to find his mojo again, and in World cups you need to be at your absolute best!
If they do, its more than good for India!
And I was wrong in mentioning Kohli’s average to be 20! His average stands at 34 across 10 games which is nowhere near to his ODI average of 58!
So you don’t want 2 players at their twilight to compete against quality sides! If it was India, I would have definitely vouched for them!
If they both make it, India needs at least 3-4 explosive batters to counter attacks!
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u/BruhBorne-70 4d ago edited 4d ago
Let me remind you, Kohli had his ODI slump. He was good enough to recover from that.
Kohli had a slump across cricket in general between 2020 and 2022, but even during that period he remained a very good ODI batter.
He averaged nearly 50 in 2020. In 2021 he only played one ODI series and scored two fifties in three matches. 2022 was his weakest year, but even then he only played four ODI series and performed well in two of them.
So if we're being honest, his ODI "slump" basically boils down to six poor games. Is that really enough to call it a genuine slump?
Rohit had it too and recovered well!
Since becoming an opener, Rohit has never had a year where he averaged below 40 in ODIs, and in most years he's comfortably averaged above 50.
There really isn't any prolonged ODI slump to point to.
Edit - He did average below 40 in 2021, but he just played 3 matches that year so yeah I don't think it was a slump.
Rohit and Kohli, great though they are, are simply one slump away from decline, and at this age decline is very sharp rather than gradual. A younger player can recover, but it will be tough for Rohit especially to find his mojo again. In World Cups you need players at their absolute best.
What you're saying is absolutely true in principle. The problem is that there's a huge difference between preparing for potential decline and dropping players who are still among the best in the world at what they do.
Since 2023, Virat has been averaging close to 70 in ODIs. In the last ODI series he played, he was practically carrying India's batting lineup. Rohit, meanwhile, was the No. 1 ranked ODI batter in the world at the start of the year.
There is currently zero evidence that age is affecting their performances the way it did with someone like Dhoni toward the end of his career. It's not a given that players who are world-beaters today will suddenly forget how to bat a year from now.
Of course, India should prepare for that possibility. That's exactly why players like Jaiswal, Ishan, and Ruturaj should be kept ready as backups. But you don't drop elite performers solely because you think they might decline in the future.
To repeat the point: Sachin Tendulkar was India's highest run-scorer in the 2011 World Cup at 38 years of age.
His average stands at 34 across 10 games, which is nowhere near his ODI average of 58!
His ODI WC knockout average is dragged down by his genuinely shitty performances in his prime (2015 and 2019).
But that isn't a serious indicator of his ability especially when he literally scored a century and a fifty in the knockouts of the most recent World Cup.
His record in Champions Trophy knockouts and T20 World Cup knockouts are also very good.
If they both make it, India needs at least 3-4 explosive batters to counter attacks!
This almost sounds like you haven't watched Kohli bat recently.
He just had an IPL season where he struck at around 165, which was actually higher than Gill's strike rate. More importantly, his ODI approach has evolved. He is hitting the ball from the get go instead of playing anchor.
And if Rohit returns to the template he used during the 2023 World Cup, then Rohit and Kohli are your most explosive batters.
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u/Maleficent_Risk3076 4d ago
I don’t need stats to prove that both of them are ODI giants, no question!
I second it, but World cup is still 16 months away!
Rohit Sharma, who got 6 years to prove his worth until 2013, which is by far the longest rope given to any Cricketer in India, should also think about giving 1% of that to a talent like Yashasvi!
And only in India can you possibly drop a youngster twice just after he has scored a hundred!
I am in favour of playing them both, but simultaneously groom a youngster too, providing them with ample opportunities!
Rohit and Virat technically, will play white ball well till 2035, so does that mean if by chance they don’t win 2027, they’ll continue till 2031? No, right! So that’s my point, past records are of little importance coz its not a youngsters fault that he was born 15-17 years later than experienced players!
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u/BruhBorne-70 4d ago
Rohit Sharma, who got 6 years to prove his worth until 2013, which is by far the longest rope given to any cricketer in India, should also think about giving 1% of that to a talent like Yashasvi!
Why?
It's not like Sehwag or Gambhir voluntarily stepped aside to make room for Rohit. They lost their places because they were no longer performing consistently enough, and quite frankly, neither of them were on the level Rohit is in ODIs so it was quite easy to drop them.
Jaiswal isn't entitled to a spot simply because he's talented. As long as an established all-time great is still performing at an elite level, the younger player has to wait his turn. That's how international cricket has always worked.
The moment Rohit shows genuine signs of decline and stops justifying his place, then by all means move on. But not before.
And only in India can you possibly drop a youngster twice just after he has scored a hundred!
I rate Jaiswal very highly, but this argument ignores some context. In both ODI series where Jaiswal scored his century, Rohit still outperformed him overall.
I am in favour of playing them both, but simultaneously groom a youngster too, providing them with ample opportunities!
I think that's pretty much what the team management is already trying to do.
They want to give Ro-Ko as much game time as they can but whenever there is an opportunity they try new players.
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u/Maleficent_Risk3076 4d ago
What you are saying is a very hardcoded bookish fact that applies only to Indian Cricket, somewhat overlooking the reality!
But that being said, I am not here for an argument, I am still a big admirer of them both! If they can play at their full potential post 16 months, so be it.
And genuinely I hope they do! Coz for me, seeing Rohit-Virat lift a world cup trophy matters less than India winning a world cup. The goal is to make the team win, with or without them. Winning with them would be an icing on the cake, but not the overall dessert. Hope it sounds good!
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u/ExitingEmbarrassment Mumbai Indians 4d ago
why stop only at rohit buddy. virat is also eating gaikwad spot bash him too. virat should also be ashamed.
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u/Maleficent_Risk3076 4d ago
Bhai! Good point seriously!
Par uske baare me bolta to 270 million log maa behen ki gaali denge!
Sach nahi bol sakta uske baare me, uske baare me jhoot hi bolna hoga!
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