'They don't need to think too far...': Anil Kumble's blunt take on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's participation in 2027 World Cup

Legendary India cricketer Anil Kumble feels that rather than thinking too much about whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play in the 2027 ODI World Cup, fans should rather celebrate both the batters for their vast contribution towards cricket in the country. Though Rohit and Virat are set to make their return to international cricket in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, there is still no guarantee as to if the two will be in India's squad for the mega-tournament two years later.

Kumble feels that both Rohit and Virat should enjoy their time on the field during the upcoming matches and should not think too much about the World Cup that is still far away.

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“Let us just celebrate the two players on the field. They have done so much for Indian cricket over the years. You don’t know if… yes, in their heads, they have been thinking of 2027 [World Cup], but it is still a couple of years from now," Kumble said while speaking on JioHotstar.

“There are matches; all you need to do is go out there and enjoy and now that Rohit is no longer the captain, even the burden and responsibility of captaining isn’t on him. So, it is just about batting and enjoying every moment that they have on the field. I don’t think they need to think too far ahead in terms of 2027," he added.

Rohit and Virat's long absence from internationals

Meanwhile, the last time that Rohit and Virat had donned the Indian jersey was during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in March. The two haven't played any domestic cricket for months either and their last assignment in competitive cricket was IPL. They will be hoping to make a strong return to ODIs in the upcoming Australia series.

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If Rohit and Virat want to play the World Cup, then they will have to once again win the trust of the selectors with their performances in the one-day matches that India will play before the mega-tournament. The Men in Blue are scheduled to play nine ODIs before the 2026 T20 World Cup and another 18 before the commencement of the 2027 World Cup. It remains t o be seen if the duo will be able to keep their spots in the squad for the competition or not.