“He will definitely play” - Mohammad Kaif makes massive statement on Team India star's participation in 2027 ODI World Cup

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has made a bold statement regarding Rohit Sharma’s potential participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup. The Mumbai batter was recently relieved of his leadership duties, with Shubman Gill appointed as India’s new ODI captain ahead of the three-match series against Australia, starting on October 19.

Over the past few months, there has been ongoing speculation about Rohit’s participation in the mega event, which has only intensified after he was relieved of his captaincy duties. However, Kaif believes that despite no longer leading the side, Rohit will feature in the 2027 World Cup as an opener.

He also noted that the veteran batter is likely to excel on South African pitches, where the tournament will be co-hosted alongside Zimbabwe and Namibia. Speaking during his YouTube live session on Friday, October 10, Kaif said:

“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 can’t go to South Africa, where the World Cup will be played, with an entirely young team. 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.”

“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,” he added.

Rohit Sharma has played 273 ODIs, scoring 11,168 runs in 265 innings at an impressive average of 48.76, including 58 half-centuries and 32 centuries.

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“You need players who have seen the world and experienced ups and downs” - Mohammad Kaif on the importance of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in India’s ODI team

During the same interaction, Mohammad Kaif emphasized that Team India will need the experience of veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to succeed in the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying:

“Just look at his numbers, his years of experience. On a big stage like the World Cup, you need players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, players who have seen the world and experienced ups and downs. In a tournament like the World Cup, you’re going to lose a game or two in between, then you’ll need to make a comeback. You’ll face those do-or-die matches where you must win to reach the quarterfinals or top four. In such crucial situations, the roles of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli become absolutely vital.”

The duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired from Tests and T20Is but continue to represent India in the 50-over format.