Indian cricket has flourished a lot in the last couple of years, especially in white-ball cricket, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, who has been quite clinical with his decisions in the field, both in leadership and with the bat in hand.
Under him, the blue brigade went on to win the recent Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, in Barbados, getting the better of South Africa, as Rohit Sharma helped the country end their 11-year drought of winning an ICC trophy, since the time they won the 2013 Champions Trophy in England.
In the case of the ICC 20-over tournament, India captured the trophy in the maiden season in 2007 and took 17 more years to put their hands on the trophy again. When the team needed to change their style of play in the shortest format of the game, it was Rohit who raised his hand and took the first step of being aggressive without putting much concern on the result.
‘If everything goes well…’- Former Indian player on Rohit Sharma’s future
During the 2019 ODI World Cup in England, India’s opening batter- Rohit Sharma was the highest run-getter of the tournament with 648 runs in nine innings, at an average of 81 and a strike rate of nearly 100. He also celebrated five centuries and only one fifty, which shows how superb his conversion rate was in the event.
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Four years later, during the home ODI World Cup, India needed someone to be brutal at the start. It was needed for one of the openers to forget the ‘fear of failure’ and get under the skin of the new ball bowlers to get the team in a flying start.
The Nagpur-born did the same thing. Rohit Sharma finished the 50-over tournament as the second-highest run-getter with 597 runs in 11 innings, at an average of 54.27, and a strike rate of 125.94, with three half-centuries and one 131-run knock.
Even during the final, he was batting with freedom and wasn’t concerned about getting dismissed. The dream for him to win an ODI World Cup is yet to be achieved, as the team, having won 10 games till the final, fell short before the final.
With the 2027 50-over format set to happen in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, the opening batter is set to be around 41 years. It’s not still clear if he remains a part of the squad for the tournament.
The former Indian wicket-keeper batter Saba Karim feels that Rohit Sharma has been batting quite brilliantly, and if he can hold his form like this, then he can surely be a part of the upcoming 50-overs tournament.
‘Rohit Sharma’s form is on the rise & If everything goes well, Rohit can play the 2027 ODI World Cup.’ The former BCCI selector expressed to News 24 Sports.
Before the departure of the Indian team for Sri Lanka, the newly appointed head coach of the side- Gautam Gambhir was asked the same question when he mentioned fitness being the key for that to happen.
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‘I think both of them (Rohit and Virat Kohli) have lot more cricket left in them. We’ve got the Champions Trophy, a tour of Australia, so they will be motivated.’ Gambhir remarked in the press conference. ‘If they keep their fitness then even the 2027 World Cup. To answer how much cricket is left in them is difficult. Any team that has players of their class would love to have them for as long as possible.’
For the moment, his eyes will be on the upcoming edition of the Champions Trophy 2025, where he will lead the blue brigade again.