Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli closed the curtains on their T20I careers in style, leading India to victory at the T20 World Cup 2024. Rohit topped the India’s batting charts with 257 runs, while Kohli was named Player of the Match for his well-composed 76. The two Indian cricket legends embraced, wrapped themselves in the national flag, and shed tears of joy as they passed the baton to the next generation.
Will Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli play the ODI World Cup in 2027?
The recent events, as poetic as they were, raise an important question: How much longer will Rohit and Kohli continue playing international cricket? At 37 and 36 years old respectively, the two cricket stars would ideally want to end their careers on a high note by playing in the next ODI World Cup in 2027.
According to veteran Amit Mishra, the duo’s chances look weak as the both star batters would be in the twilight of their career. It’s possible they could make the team for the tournament in South Africa, Rohit will be 40 and Kohli will be 39.
“While Rohit has 3-4 years of cricket left, his international career is likely nearing its end. In another 2-3 years, the prospect of playing in the World Cup 2027 appears challenging. He will soon retire from international cricket but will be in the IPL. The same goes for Virat Kohli, as it should be to allow new talent to emerge. Cricketers typically stick around till 38 or 39, sometimes 40,” opined Mishra on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube show ‘Unplugged’.
After their World Cup victory and celebrations in India, Kohli and Rohit are now enjoying a well-earned break. Kohli has traveled to London, where he was recently spotted attending a Kirtan religious service with his wife, Anushka Sharma.
Rohit has been keeping a packed schedule. He attended the Wimbledon semifinal match between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev at Centre Court, and then traveled to the USA where he featured in several events.
Rohit and Kohli are expected to rest in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka next month. However, they will return for a demanding Test schedule that lies ahead – two matches against Bangladesh and three against New Zealand before India embark on a five-Test tour of Australia to compete in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
