Ajit Agarkar: “Keeping Rohit and Kohli on Trial Till 2027 Would Be a Silly Decision. India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar has firmly dismissed any notion of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, being on “trial” ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. Speaking ahead of India’s upcoming ODI series against Australia, Ajit Agarkar emphasized that both players have already proven their worth and achieved far too much to be judged again.
Following Rohit and Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket in May, questions began circulating about their long-term future in ODIs—particularly whether they would feature in the 2027 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in October–November 2027.
With both stars now focusing solely on the 50-over format, their primary goal remains to guide India to another World Cup triumph. However, the recent decision to appoint Shubman Gill as India’s new ODI captain ahead of the 2025 Australia tour intensified speculation about Rohit and Kohli’s roles in the side. Gill, who also took over the Test captaincy after Rohit’s retirement, is seen as the face of India’s next generation.
Despite the leadership transition, both veterans are set to return to the national setup for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. The duo last appeared in March during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where India lifted the title after defeating New Zealand in the final—Rohit captaining the side and Kohli contributing significantly with the bat.
Ajit Agarkar clarification reaffirms that India’s two modern greats still have a vital role to play as the team builds toward the 2027 World Cup.
Ajit Agarkar Clarifies Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s ODI Future: “They’re Not on Trial”
During the NDTV World Summit 2025 on Friday (October 17), India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed ongoing speculation about the ODI future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Agarkar made it clear that both veterans remain integral to the setup and will not be judged on a match-by-match basis.
“Look, they [Rohit and Kohli] are part of the squad right now for the Australia series. In two years’ time, we don’t know what the situation will be. It’s not just about them—it could be other younger players who might miss out,” Ajit Agarkar said.
He emphasized that questioning the positions of two of India’s greatest ODI batters makes little sense given their track records. “That would be a bit silly, wouldn’t it, when one averages over 50 and the other close to 50? You’re not going to put them on trial in every game. 2027 is still a long way away. They’ve played only one format lately and haven’t had much cricket. Once they get back into rhythm, we’ll assess things as we move forward,” he explained.
“They’ve Already Proven Themselves,” Says Agarkar
Ajit Agarkar further praised both stars for their immense contributions to Indian cricket—both in terms of runs and leadership.
“They’re not on trial—they’ve already achieved everything, not just in terms of trophies but also personal milestones. It’s not like failing in one series would rule them out, or scoring three hundreds would automatically confirm their spot for 2027. There’s still plenty of time; we’ll see how the team evolves and shape our plans accordingly,” he added.
Preparing for the Australia ODIs
Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli last featured in competitive cricket during IPL 2025, held in June. Kohli ended the season as the leading run-scorer for champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), while Rohit finished as the second-highest run-getter for Mumbai Indians (MI), notching up four fifties.
As the ODI series against Australia begins on October 19 in Perth, all eyes will be on the two Indian legends as they aim to make a strong comeback and lead from the front once again.
