MSK Prasad: Rohit, Kohli Will Be Key Assets for India in 2027 ODI World Cup
New Delhi: Former India chief selector MSK Prasad believes that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will continue to play a pivotal role for Team India, calling the experienced duo “huge assets” ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The pair were in sublime form as India cruised to a nine-wicket win over Australia in the third ODI, avoiding a series whitewash.
Rohit (121*), building on his strong knock in Adelaide, produced a flawless century—his 33rd in ODIs—to consolidate his position behind only Kohli (51) and Sachin Tendulkar (49) in the list of most ODI hundreds.
Kohli, who had registered back-to-back ducks in the first two matches, bounced back with an unbeaten 74, overtaking Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in men’s ODI history with 14,255 runs in 305 matches, trailing only Tendulkar.
“I’m extremely happy with their performances. I was looking forward to this, and it’s come at the right time,” Prasad told reporters here. “As we approach the next World Cup, players like Virat and Rohit will be invaluable. They’ve been consistent performers, and their experience will be crucial.”
Defending the duo from criticism over form and age, Prasad added, “I don’t think people should judge them based on current form. Both are supremely fit—Rohit has regained his fitness, and Virat’s always been at peak levels. Between them, they have over 80 international hundreds. To even question their place is surprising.”
The former selector also lauded Rohit, Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja for making timely decisions to retire from Test and T20I cricket, following India’s T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year.
“One of the best things they did was to hand over the baton to the next generation after winning the T20 World Cup,” he said. “It’s allowed the younger players to step up and establish themselves. India’s future looks strong.”
Highlighting the team’s growing depth, Prasad noted that even established players like Shreyas Iyer are struggling to break into the T20 setup.
“We have so much talent waiting in the wings. Shreyas hasn’t found a place in the T20 squad, which shows the kind of bench strength we have. It’s debatable, but that only underlines how strong our current pool is. The team has plenty of firepower,” Prasad concluded.
