‘Can’t go to South Africa with an entirely young team’ - Former India batter backs Rohit Sharma for 2027 World Cup

Published - 11 Oct 2025, 17:55 IST | Updated - 11 Oct 2025, 17:57 IST

Former Indian ODI captain Rohit Sharma’s participation in the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2027 remains a topic of speculation. With Rohit no longer leading the side, several fans and cricket pundits believe that he might not feature in the marquee tournament.

At 38 years of age, the veteran opener will be under the selectors’ scrutiny regarding both form and fitness. However, former cricketer Mohammad Kaif holds a different view. Kaif highlighted Rohit’s proven ability to score runs consistently, stating that such reliability could secure his place in the World Cup squad. He further emphasised that Rohit’s vast experience and composure in high-pressure situations makes him an invaluable asset during ICC events.

“He will definitely play, boss. Look, the captaincy may have been taken away from him, but I believe that as an opener, Rohit Sharma will do his job. You need an experienced batter in the side. You . Sometimes in those seaming conditions, the ball moves a lot and the pitches are bouncy. If you take only new players there, they’ll get exposed,” said Kaif on his YouTube Channel.

Kaif expressed strong confidence in Rohit’s performance, highlighting his stellar record as an opener. He noted that Rohit is well-versed with conditions across the globe, having played on a variety of pitches and adapted effectively to both spin and bounce. Hence, Kaif believes that the right-handed batter will continue to perform even better in the upcoming matches.

"That’s why I feel you need a player who can handle the bounce, who can pull and cut the rising deliveries just like Rohit Sharma does. On those kinds of pitches, I believe Rohit Sharma will perform even better. His batting style as an opener suits such conditions perfectly. He plays the rising ball, the one that bounces from the front, extremely well. Among all the players you can name, Rohit Sharma is the only one who handles that rising delivery so effectively,” Kaif said.