Former India skipper Rohit Sharma, who is only active in the 50-over format for India, has left the door open for every possibility regarding his future. He was recently asked about his chances of playing
in the 2027 ODI World Cup, the veteran opener simply said, “October 2027 is far away.” For now, there is no retirement announcement and nor any confirmation that he will be part of India’s World Cup plans.
That uncertainty makes the question around Rohit an interesting one. Should India take the 39-year-old to the 2027 World Cup, or should the team continue its transition and move towards younger options?
Why Rohit Sharma should play the World Cup
The strongest argument is simple that Rohit has a stellar white ball record and he is still scoring runs. After a period of inconsistent form, he scored a superb 138 off 110 balls against England at Lord’s in the third ODI. The innings included 17 fours and five sixes and made him the first Indian batter to score an ODI century at the iconic venue. His numbers across 2026 also remain encouraging and good. In his last six ODIs, Rohit has scores of 138, 26, 11, 79, 48 and 16. He has amassed 318 runs, including a century and two fifties. This has been his recent form.
ROHIT SHARMA IS COMING 😍
– The dream for 2027 Cricket World Cup. https://t.co/OzDeDWAMXt
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 10, 2026
The bigger picture is Rohit has scored nearly 12,000 ODI runs, with 34 centuries and 62 fifties. His career average is around 49 and his strike rate is above 92. He is also the only batter to have three ODI double-centuries including the record 264. India could also benefit from his experience with the bat and also his leadership qualities to guide Gill. He has already played in three World Cups and led India to the 2023 final. He was also part of the side that won the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Why India could move on from the veteran opener
The other side of the argument which is impossible to ignore is that Rohit will be 40 during the 2027 World Cup. Age itself should not decide selection, but fitness, consistency and the ability to maintain intensity over a long tournament will matter. India also cannot afford to keep the opening spot reserved purely because of reputation. There is already a younger generation waiting. Shubman Gill is now leading the ODI side, while players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal and others provide India with options for the future.
That means Rohit’s place will come under the scanner every time he fails to score. As of now writing him off would be premature and The BCCI has publicly rejected speculation that his ODI career is coming to an end, while Rohit’s own recent performances have shown that he can still produce match-winning innings. The 2027 World Cup should not be about giving Rohit a farewell. If he is still India’s best option at the top of the order, he should go but if he is not able to perform then India will have to make the difficult call.
