Days after announcing his retirement from international cricket, Ajinkya Rahane has waded firmly into the debate over Rohit Sharma’s ODI future, telling The Indian Express there should be no ambiguity over his place in India’s plans through the 2027 World Cup.
“I think it is important to tell Rohit Sharma he is going to play the 2027 ODI World Cup,” Rahane said, in an Idea Exchange interview. “Just look at his contribution over several years. It has been amazing. You need the experience of such a player at a World Cup. There should be no discussions around it. You can’t look at it series by series because he is such a big player.”
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The comments arrive amid renewed scrutiny of Rohit’s ODI role, following a series in which India lost six of nine away matches under head coach Gautam Gambhir, and Rohit’s own Powerplay strike rate has fallen sharply since he gave up the captaincy. A blockbuster century at Lord’s last month reopened rather than settled the debate over whether he should continue as an anchor, be freed to attack, or be moved on from altogether.