Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers believes Rohit Sharma should remain a part of India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying the veteran opener’s ability to perform well in pressure situations makes him valuable enough to be left out despite concerns over his age.
AB de Villiers also urged the Indian team management to manage Rohit Sharma’s workload carefully in the next two years. With the opener set to be over 40 by the time the next World Cup begins, the Proteas legend feels retaining him for major tournaments should be a priority.
Here’s an update on Rohit Sharma’s future and the answer to whether the veteran opener will play India’s next ODI series or not.
AB de Villiers backs Rohit Sharma for 2027 World Cup, urges Team India to manage workload
Talking about Rohit’s future, AB de Villiers said that the former India captain has never been a player who dominates every bilateral series, but he stressed that he consistently plays his best cricket when the stakes are at their highest.
“He has never been the most consistent player over a long period of time, there is a bit of up-and-down in terms of consistency. But when big matches present themselves, big moments, Rohit Sharma has to be in your side,” AB de Villiers said in his 360° show.
The former South Africa batsman said ICC tournaments demand a completely different mindset than regular bilateral series and a player with Rohit Sharma’s experience becomes even more valuable under that kind of pressure.
“You need that kind of experience in big tournaments. When you play big tournaments, it’s not your normal five-match ODI series in a country where there’s no big hype, or you’re not playing a different opponent every game. When it comes to the ODI World Cup and big tournaments, there’s a different kind of pressure, and that’s why I think Rohit will play a big, big role,” AB de Villiers said.
AB de Villiers also suggested that India should focus on managing Rohit’s workload carefully over the next two years so that he comes into the 2027 World Cup physically fresh and ready for another global campaign.
Rohit Sharma shuts down retirement rumors with century at Lord’s
Speculations about Rohit Sharma’s ODI future intensified during India’s tour of England, but the former Indian captain responded in style by playing a brilliant inning of 138 runs off 110 balls in the third ODI at Lord’s.
Although India failed to chase 388 and lost the series 2–1, Rohit’s innings became one of the most notable overseas ODI innings by an Indian batsman, re-creating several records in the process.
This century made Rohit Sharma the first Indian batsman to score an ODI century at Lord’s, while he also became the oldest Indian to score an ODI century, surpassing the previous record held by Sachin Tendulkar.
His innings established him as the highest run-scorer among visiting batsmen in England’s ODI history, taking his tally of runs in the country to 1,603. During this innings, he went ahead of players like Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Ricky Ponting and Viv Richards.
Perhaps most importantly, this innings effectively quieted the retirement rumors that had followed him in recent months and reminded everyone why he remains one of the world’s premier ODI batsmen.
Rohit Sharma’s record in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup
AB de Villiers’ support for Rohit is backed by statistics that few players in cricket history can match. In three ODI World Cups, Rohit Sharma has created one of the greatest tournament records of all time.
The Indian captain is the highest century-scorer in ODI World Cup history, having scored seven centuries in just 28 matches.
His unforgettable 2019 World Cup campaign is unmatched. Rohit scored 648 runs, including a record five centuries, and became the only batsman in the history of the tournament to score five centuries in a single edition.
He then had another excellent campaign in 2023, scoring 597 runs while completely changing his batting approach. Instead of playing long anchor innings, Rohit consistently attacked in the powerplay to provide India with an explosive start, giving the middle order a chance to build a strong foundation.
Overall, Rohit Sharma has scored 1,575 World Cup runs, won seven Player of the Match awards, second only to Sachin Tendulkar, and finished among India’s top two run-scorers in three consecutive World Cups.
These figures explain why AB de Villiers believes Rohit should remain in India’s plans for the 2027 tournament.