Former India head coach Ravi Shastri and Australian legend Ricky Ponting have shared their thoughts on the future of Indian batting icons Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, saying that “only time will tell” if the duo will feature in the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Rohit and Kohli, who have stepped away from Tests and T20Is over the past 18 months, currently play only ODIs. The pair returned to international cricket for the first time since the ICC Champions Trophy, turning out against Australia in Perth on Sunday with modest contributions.
Speaking on The ICC Review, Shastri said, “When you come back after a long break, rustiness is natural. It’s not easy for any team to land in Australia just two days before a match in Perth and adapt immediately to those fast-bowling conditions. But only time will tell. They’ll get more practice in Adelaide and find their rhythm again.”
He added, “I’m not rushing to judge them. At this stage of their careers, it’s all about enjoyment, hunger, and passion. If they’re still enjoying the game, the rest will follow. They have class, experience, and the ability to find form once they spend time in the middle.”
Ponting echoed Shastri’s view, particularly praising Kohli’s mindset. “I don’t like hearing players say they’ve achieved everything. You need short-term goals to stay motivated. Knowing Virat, he’ll be setting his sights on immediate performances during this tour, not just looking ahead to 2027,” he said.
Ponting added that both Rohit and Kohli remain crucial to India’s chances when in form. “Whether they can hit peak performance before the next World Cup—time will tell. They’ll have good batting conditions in Australia, especially at Adelaide Oval,” he noted.
“Getting back into rhythm takes a bit of time, but I expect them to rebound fast. These two are champion players—you never write them off. Their experience and skill can still win matches for India. If they perform consistently, there’s every chance we’ll see them in the 2027 World Cup,” Ponting concluded.
