Ravi Shastri lists three factors that determine Rohit and Kohli’s 2027 ODI WC future

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be back in the Indian colours for the forthcoming ODI series against Australia starting this Sunday (Oct 19) in Perth. Since announcing their respective Test and T20I retirements, both had just one format to represent India in, with a single aim - to stay in contention for the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, the question here arises: Would they stick around till then? Former India head coach Ravi Shastri dropped honest bombshells.

Considering youngsters and newcomers are fighting for their places in the ODI side, Shastri warned Aussie fans against watching this duo play their best cricket Down Under to stay in contention for the 50-over spectacle.

"That's why they're here (playing the ODI series against Australia)," Shastri said in Sydney on Monday (Oct 13). "They're part of the mix.

Explaining what those factors are that might determine their ODI futures, Shastri said, “It depends on their fitness, their hunger and, of course, form. So, I think this series is very important to see how they go. They themselves will know by the end of this series how they feel, and then it's their call.”

Detailing more on this with an example that could help the Aussies understand better, Ravi said, "(It's) the same thing with Steve Smith (who retired from ODIs in March) from Australia's point of view. At that age, you've got to enjoy it and (you've) still got to have the hunger.

"But there's no substitute for experience when it comes to the big games, as we saw in the Champions Trophy. Come the big games and the big boys step up,” he continued.

Kohli and Rohit are part of Team India’s 15-man squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia. While the new One-Day captain Shubman Gill will hog all the limelight, the onus would remain on this batting pair, who have just good cricket to play for.

"Rohit Sharma … Virat Kohli … they know that these youngsters are pushing them,” Shastri said to cricket.com.au.

Meanwhile, the five-match T20Is will follow, with the 2025 Asia Cup winners gearing to continue stamping their authority in this format. Praising this T20 outfit that recently beat arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai, Shastri said, "(Varma's) innings in that Asia Cup final was absolutely fantastic.”

"Because under pressure to play like that (was impressive).

"There's some good young guns there in (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, there's (Shubman) Gill, there's Tilak Varma.

"A lot of good young talent and a lot of all-rounders as well in Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel, so it's a strong white-ball unit.

"India is much stronger in white ball than the red ball,” he concluded.