Rohit Sharma leaves ODI World Cup participation open: October 2027 is still far away

Rohit Sharma has kept his cards close to his chest on his participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying there is still plenty of time before the tournament and that a decision on his future can wait.

In Short

• Rohit Sharma was part of India's squad for the ODI series against England
• The 2027 ODI World Cup will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia
• Rohit's place in India's ODI plans has come under scrutiny in recent weeks

Former India captain Rohit Sharma has kept the door open on his participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying there is still plenty of time before the tournament when asked about his plans on Thursday. "October 2027 is far away, we will see about it then," Rohit said at the Global Fintech Fest when a member of the audience asked if he would play in the next ODI World Cup.

The former India captain's brief response comes amid growing speculation over his international future. Rohit, who turns 40 during the 2027 World Cup year, is currently active only in ODI cricket after retiring from Tests and T20Is. The 2027 World Cup is scheduled to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 4 to November 21.

Rohit's place in India's ODI plans has come under scrutiny in recent weeks, particularly after reports suggested that the selectors could consider moving on from the veteran batter ahead of the next World Cup cycle.

However, the BCCI has publicly played down those reports. The BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia backed Rohit after the board's review meeting in Mumbai last week, pointing to his performances and questioning the speculation surrounding his future.

"He is playing superbly in all matches. He scored 130 in the last match he played. So, what more do you want? Why is there speculation? I don't want to give fodder to speculation," Saikia said.

Rohit has also done little to suggest that he is ready to walk away from ODI cricket. He was part of India's squad for the three-match ODI series against England earlier this year, and speculation intensified after the first two games that the third ODI at Lord's could be his final appearance for India.

Instead, Rohit produced one of his finest recent innings, smashing 138 off 110 balls. His performance further underlined his ability to make an impact at the highest level despite being in the latter stages of his international career.

His performances in recent ODI appearances have strengthened the argument for keeping him in the side. The veteran opener's experience at the top of the order remains valuable as India work towards building their squad for the 2027 tournament.

At the same time, India are expected to use the period leading up to the World Cup to assess their options and develop a settled ODI combination. India are expected to play at least 14 ODIs before the 2027 World Cup, excluding the postponed Bangladesh series and any potential Asia Cup fixtures.

The uncertainty over Rohit's World Cup future has also been acknowledged by former India pacer Ashish Nehra, who recently said it was too early to determine whether Rohit and Virat Kohli would feature in the 2027 tournament.

Rohit was also asked whether India could have an open-top bus parade if they win the 2027 World Cup, similar to the celebrations that followed their 2024 T20 World Cup triumph in Mumbai.

"I do not think a bus parade would be possible now," he said.

- Ends