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The India national cricket team will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test on Saturday, which will be followed by a 3-match ODI series; However, the 50-over format will be missing a big hole as Virat Kohli has been ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury, and Rohit Sharma is also doubtful for the series due to the same injury.
India will not be playing much ODI cricket this year as they prepare for the England series in England, ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. But Virat Kohli is going to miss that series too, as he will be out for about 6 weeks. This will be a big concern before the mega event.
He plays the short ball very well – Irfan Pathan on Rohit Sharma
Ahead of the start of the ODI series, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan highlighted the importance of the presence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the team during next year’s ODI World Cup. He gave valuable insight on why these two batsmen could be important for the Men in Blue.
Speaking on Star Sports segment ‘Follow the Blues’, Irfan Pathan was asked about Rohit-Kohli’s participation and importance in India’s squad in the 2027 ODI World Cup. Pathan said, “What abilities does Rohit Sharma bring with him? He plays the short ball very well. Cuts and pulls are his strengths. He gets time easily against short balls.”
“That’s what’s going to happen in South Africa. You obviously get swinging conditions with the new ball, but you get bounce, and who can take advantage of the bounce better than Rohit Sharma?” He replied.
His experience will be useful at number 3 – Pathan on Kohli’s experience in South Africa
The T20 World Cup winner also highlighted Kohli’s experience playing at No. 3, as the former India skipper has been a match-winner for the team over the years and has shown unreal consistency in the 50-over format. No batsman who bats in this position has scored more runs than Virat Kohli.
Pathan further said, “What does Virat bring with him? He brings his experience. There is no better chaser than him in ODIs. His numbers are unbelievable. If a wicket falls early, his experience at No. 3 will come in handy so that he can play carefully and also play long innings. You need this ability in South Africa.”
Will Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma be able to make it to the 2027 World Cup?
Irfan Pathan believes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be in the 2027 ODI World Cup squad for India. He also believes that both the cricketers will keep a close eye on their fitness as age is catching up with the batsmen and also pointed out that Rohit has lost several kilograms in recent times.
Anil Kumble also suggested that in South African conditions, the presence of both Rohit and Virat will be important as both have enough experience of playing on bouncy pitches. “There are still a lot of matches before the World Cup. The World Cup is in South Africa, but I think the experience of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will definitely come in handy because we know the conditions will be different in South Africa,” he said.
Also Read: “Best ODI Player”: Tim Southee crowns Virat Kohli as ODI ‘GOAT’
