New Delhi: India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has weighed in on the speculation surrounding senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma potentially featuring in the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, calling the event “a long way away.”
Kohli and Rohit, who recently retired from Test cricket and had earlier stepped away from T20 Internationals, remain available only for One-Day Internationals. Given their recent exits from longer formats, questions have emerged about their availability for the next ODI World Cup, set for November–December 2027.
Addressing these queries, Gambhir said, “Look, it’s still a long way away. We still have the T20 World Cup before that, which is a major tournament happening in India in February–March. The full focus after the England series will be on that. The 2027 World Cup is still two-and-a-half years away.”
He added, “I’ve always said one thing — if you keep performing, age is just a number.”
When asked about Kohli and Rohit’s decision to retire from Test cricket, Gambhir emphasized the personal nature of such choices. “When you start the game and when you decide to end it — it’s a deeply individual decision. No one, whether it’s the coach, selector, or anyone else, has the right to dictate that.”
He acknowledged that the absence of such experienced players will be challenging but highlighted the opportunity it presents for others to rise. “Yes, it’ll be tough without two senior players, but it opens doors for others to step up. I’ve said this before during the Champions Trophy when Jasprit Bumrah was unavailable — one player’s absence can become another’s chance to shine for the country,” Gambhir noted.
As India transitions into a new phase with emerging talent, the focus remains firmly on the immediate challenge — the upcoming T20 World Cup on home soil.
