‘Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to retire from international cricket in…’: India stalwarts’ World Cup 2027 future addressed

n anRohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had the perfect ending to their T20I careers with India winning the 2024 T20 World Cup. While Rohit led India’s batting as their highest scorer with 257 runs, Kohli emerged as the Player of the Match for a well-compiled knock of 76. The two stalwarts of Indian cricket wrapped the national flag around themselves, cried tears of joy on each other’s shoulders and left the stage for the next generation to take over.

But while as cinematic a moment that was, it threw open the question: How long before they entirely walk away from international cricket? Rohit is 37, Kohli closing in on 36. Ideally, both would want to go out after another high, playing the next ODI World Cup, but by 27, Rohit will be 40 and Kohli 39, and while the possibility of the two making it to South Africa surely exists, it looks rather bleak, at least in the eyes of Amit Mishra.

The veteran India leg-spinner, who has been making news for his highly-controversial statements, feels Rohit and Kohli are not in contention to play the next ODI World Cup. Heck, Mishra has gone on to the extent of predicting their retirements, claiming that Rohit and Kohli will be done playing for India sooner rather than later. Because if they don’t, the younger crop of players will suffer.

“In another 2-3 years. Playing the World Cup [2027] looks tough,” Mishra said when asked about Rohit’s tentative retirement, on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube show ‘Unplugged’. “He has 3-4 years of cricket left, but for India not much. He will retire and continue playing the IPL. Same with Virat Kohli. As it should be. How else will new players get in? One is 37, the other will turn 36 soon. They’ll be 38-39 in the next two years. At max, 40. That’s usually how long cricketers play.”

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Since winning the World Cup and celebrating its success in India, Kohli and Rohit are on a well-deserved break. Kohli is currently in London with his family and was seen attending a Kirtan with his wife Anushka Sharma. Rohit, on the contrary, is running a busier schedule. He made an appearance at the Wimbledon semifinal between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev at the Centre Court before flying to the USA, where he attended a couple of events. In fact, it was there that Rohit was asked about his cricketing future, which he addressed, putting all speculations to rest.

“I just said it. I don’t look that far ahead. So clearly, you will be seeing me play for a while,” he said.

Kohli has won all three major ICC limited-overs tournaments, but Rohit is yet to win the big one – the ODI World Cup. Taking nothing away from the importance of the T20 World Cup, Rohit has repeatedly insisted that for him, the ODI World Cup is the one and only World Cup.

What next for Ro-Ko?

Rohit and Kohli are likely to miss the ODI series against Sri Lanka next month, but will be back for a gruelling Test season that awaits – two Tests against Bangladesh and three against New Zealand at home, before India tour Australia for a five-Test series of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Rohit and Kohli have a couple of big title opportunities in the next year, starting with the Champions Trophy in February, scheduled to be held in Pakistan and the World Cup-winning duo, who won it in 2013 England would want to lift the silverware again 12 years later. A few months later, provided India qualify, Rohit and Kohli have a shot at winning India their first-ever World Test Championship. Twice India have come close, in 2021 and 2023, only to fall short to first New Zealand, then Australia.

Kohli has won all three major ICC limited-overs tournaments, but Rohit is yet to win the big one – the ODI World Cup. They were on the brink of doing it on November 19, 2023 but fate had other plans.