One of the big questions of the World Cup finally got a clear and powerful response from MS Dhoni. With talk rising over whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will still be part of India’s plans for the 2027 World Cup, the former India captain settled the debate in his own style.
MS Dhoni shuts down 2027 World Cup debate over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in style
When he was asked about this at an event, Dhoni made light of the moment by joking and acting as if he had not heard the question. But soon, the great wicketkeeper-batsman got into serious mode and addressed the future of two of India’s most experienced ODI stars.
Dhoni, the only captain in his cabinet to have won all the ICC trophies, stressed that age should never determine a player’s place in the team. For him, only fitness, form and hunger to perform for the country matter. He made it clear that no one has the right to tell Rohit or Kohli whether they should play or not.
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The former Indian captain believes that if both the players remain fit and continue to perform well with the bat, they should be automatic choices for the 2027 World Cup.
Age is no criteria: MS Dhoni
“Why not? Listen, the thing is, why should someone not play the next World Cup? For me, age is not a criteria. Performance and fitness – these are the criteria. I always feel that no one should be told anything, but things should be clear: everyone will be treated equally,” MS Dhoni told Jatin Sapru at an event, as quoted by The Indian Express.
The great cricketer further stressed, “Is age a factor? No. Is fitness a factor? Yes, fitness is a factor. Even if you are 22, if you are not fit, you should not be there; there are criteria to play international cricket.
When it comes to whether it is Rohit, Virat or other names who will emerge in three, five or ten years, the whole point is this: just because someone is 30, it is not our job to decide whether he can play the next World Cup or not. This is for them to decide. If they keep performing and have the desire to do good for the country, then why not?”
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Dhoni explains why India needs Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in ICC World Cup 2027
MS Dhoni also mentioned the importance of the experience of Virat and Rohit and said that their presence can be a huge boost for India in pressure situations. “How do you get experienced people, you can’t get a 20-year-old experienced player unless you are Sachin Tendulkar, treat everyone equally, if they are performing, they will be there, if they are not performing, they will not be there,” Dhoni said.
Dhoni said that real experience is gained only after playing for many years, especially in international cricket. He said that players usually become truly experienced when they are around 30 to 33 years old; Just playing 20 or 25 matches is not enough.
The former Indian captain explained that experience means playing many tough matches and dealing with pressure again and again in important matches. Dhoni pointed out that a bowler may face such pressure only a few times, so he may need to play 80 or 85 games to learn to stay calm, control emotions, handle pressure and perform well when the match is close.
