Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull on Sunday (January 19) wondered whether Rohit Sharma has the ‘real hunger’ to push on for the 2027 ODI World Cup after a poor series against New Zealand.
Rohit endured a lean run in the series, which India lost 1-2, managing 61 runs at 20.33, with 26 as his top score. Notably, it marked the first time since his international comeback in September that he went through an entire series without registering a fifty, following one century and three half-centuries against Australia and South Africa. The last time he played three matches in an ODI rubber and didn’t cross fifty was in 2021.
“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,” Doull said on the series broadcast. “I just wonder, the 27 World Cup in South Africa, is that too far away? Does he have that real hunger?”
Former India coach Ravi Shastri concurred with Doull.
“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,” he said.
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Rohit will be 40 by the time the 2027 World Cup starts in Africa. Not many of that age have succeeded at the biggest stage but the Mumbaikar seems determined to make his case.
Doull also expressed concern about the lack of match practice Rohit will have till India’s next ODI series — in July away against England. Most other players will now play the 2026 T20 World Cup or the domestic Ranji Trophy and Rohit will be next seen in action in March for the 2026 IPL season.
“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. When you’re only playing one format, you don’t get huge amounts of opportunities.”
