Cricketing legend Yuvraj Singh believes that batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should be part of India's squad for the ODI World Cup 2027. Yuvraj, who was awarded Player of the tournament in the 2011 ODI World Cup, emphasised that while planning for the future is essential, the value of experience in high-pressure tournaments like the World Cup cannot be underestimated.
Why Rohit, Virat should feature in ODI World Cup?
Notably, Rohit and Virat last represented India in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand. New Zealand defeated India 2-1, but Kohli smashed two tons and Rohit scored 60 runs across three innings (26, 23, and 11 runs) at an average of 20.00, failing to convert good starts into substantial scores.
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“You need experience in the team, you can’t go in with only young players. You need someone like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the squad for the World Cup. But the point is, whatever you are thinking, you have to be clear with them. Don’t leave them in the dark, it’s not nice, not for them either," said Yuvraj Singh in an exclusive conversation with Sports Tak.
"Rohit Sharma has probably been the best white-ball opener and a World Cup-winning captain in T20 and the Champions Trophy, so give him that respect. Virat Kohli is one of the greatest players of our generation from India, so he deserves that respect as well," Yuvraj said.
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Rohit and Virat's current outing
Rohit and Virat are currently featuring in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 for their respective franchises, the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Notably, both franchises have already won their tournament opener.