Ravi Shastri, an Indian legend, and Ricky Ponting, a former Australian captain, have offered their thoughts on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s recent return to international cricket, offering insight into whether the iconic combo will play in the ICC Men’s World Cup in 2027.
Both cricket legends agreed that only time would tell if Rohit and Kohli will still be part of India’s squad when the next World Cup arrives.
The two have retired from Test and Twenty20 International cricket in the last 18 months, leaving One-Day Internationals as their last remaining format. Their earlier match against the Australians represented their first international appearance since the ICC Champions Trophy in early 2025.
“When you come back from a long layoff, you are obviously going to be rusty. It’s not easy for any overseas team to land in Australia, say, two days prior to a game in Perth and adjust to those conditions straight away, especially when you have that extra bounce and against quality fast bowlers. But I think only time will tell. They’ll go to Adelaide, they have some time off to get into the nets, get their minds sorted and get back into action,” said Shastri on The ICC Review.
“So I’m in no hurry to judge, but it’s when you come back at that age, after some time, it’s about how much you’re enjoying the sport and how much hunger is there and passion is left in you to play the game. So if you tick the boxes in two out of those three, especially the enjoyment part of it, then you can give them both time because they’ve got class, they’ve got experience and a little bit of time will sort things out. But I’d rather wait than jump and judge immediately,” he added.
Ponting echoed Shastri’s sentiments, suggesting that Kohli, in particular, may be setting short-term goals during the ongoing tour of Australia to assess his future in international cricket. The former Australian captain noted that such milestones could help the star batter determine whether he wishes to continue playing beyond the immediate horizon. Kohli, however, endured a rare setback during the series, dismissed for a zero by Mitchell Starc, his first duck on the Australian soil.
“The one thing I don’t like hearing from anyone is that ‘I’ve achieved everything in the game’ because I think you still have to have some really short-term goals and not just be hanging on to try and get through to the 2027 World Cup. Virat’s always been a highly motivated person. And I’d like to think that he’s probably sat down and even just given himself some goals and things that he can achieve in this series here in Australia and not be just waiting and killing time for that next World Cup to come around,” said Ponting.
“What we know with both of those guys, at their absolute best, yes, of course they’re India’s best team. But can they find their best between now and when that World Cup rocks around? And that’s only an answer that, like Ravi said, that we’ll find out in a short period of time. They will get some really good batting wickets coming up over the next few weeks here in Australia. There’s not many places that are better to go and bat in a one-day game than Adelaide Oval, which is coming up in a couple of days,” he added.
Expecting Rohit-Virat to bounce back quickly: Ponting
Ponting believes it is only a matter of time before Rohit and Kohli return to form, and that could happen as early as the next ODI against Australia in Adelaide. The Shubman Gill-led side will be playing the second match of the three-game series on Thursday, October 23 at the Adelaide Oval, with the hosts currently leading 1-0.
“Finding your rhythm and tempo is the biggest thing. When you’ve had a break, just getting back used to the rhythm and the tempo of the 50-over game again, it takes a little bit of time for anybody. I’d expect to see both those guys bounce back into it pretty quickly. As I said, Adelaide is a great place to bat and a great place to play cricket. But it won’t be easy for the fact that they are facing some of the best white-ball bowlers that have ever played the game. So, the challenge is definitely there,” said Ponting.
“But I say it all the time, you don’t write off champion players ever. And these two guys have been two of the best, and while I’m on record saying I think Virat’s the best 50-over player I’ve ever seen, you don’t write them off. They’ll find a way to contribute and win games for their team, and if they do that, then they’ll most likely be in that World Cup team in 2027,” he added.
Shastri, who coached Rohit and Kohli for a long period during the peak of their careers, knows better than most how revered the pair are, not just in India, but across the world, especially in Australia. The former India coach said the duo are highly respected by Australian crowds and would never do anything to tarnish their legacy by extending their careers unnecessarily.
“The contribution is not over two or three years. The contribution is over a decade and a half in the case of Virat. It’s massive and people don’t forget that. And they’ve played against some of the best bowlers that have been part of the game. It’s special. Their legacy will remain. Whether they finish tomorrow or they finish the day after or whenever. That legacy will remain,” said Shastri.
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