Dhoni Supports Rohit, Virat’s ODI Future With Eyes On 2027 World Cup

As preparations gradually build towards the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, former India captain MS Dhoni has come out strongly in support of senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli continuing in ODI cricket, making it clear that age should not decide a player’s future.

Dhoni shared his views during a public event, a video of which was uploaded on commentator and presenter Jatin Sapru’s official YouTube channel. With both Rohit and Virat having stepped away from Test cricket in May last year, scrutiny around their ODI appearances has increased, especially due to the limited number of 50-over matches in the modern calendar and long gaps between bilateral series. This has also sparked discussions around the need for domestic cricket to maintain rhythm and match sharpness.

Responding to a question on whether Rohit and Virat could feature in the 2027 World Cup, Dhoni said, “Why not? The thing is, why somebody should not play the next World Cup? You know, for me, age is not a criteria. Performance, fitness, these are the criteria. So I always feel nobody should be told anything.”

He further explained that players should not be judged differently because of their age, adding, “When I made my debut, I was 24. So nobody came and told me anything. So now if I am playing for India for one year, two years, ten years, twenty years, whatever, nobody needs to come and tell me about my age. Is age a factor? No.”

Dhoni stressed that fitness remains non-negotiable at the international level. “Fitness factor? Yes. Fitness is a factor. Even if you are 22 and if you are not fit, you know then you have to be fit, there are criterias of playing international cricket,” he said. He also underlined that the decision to play a World Cup should rest with the players themselves. “Just because somebody is in their 30s, whether they can play or cannot play the next World Cup, it is not for us to decide. It is for them to decide. If they keep performing, if they have the urge to do well for the country, then why not?”

Highlighting the value of experience, Dhoni pointed out that true experience comes with time at the top level. “How do you get experienced people? You cannot get a 20-year-old who’s experienced unless it is Sachin Tendulkar, who started playing at age 16 or 17. This is the way you can gain experience,” he said, adding that playing 20–25 matches does not make someone experienced. He signed off bluntly by saying, “If people are performing, they will be there, otherwise not. If they are not fit, you can chuck them out.”

Rohit and Virat recently returned to the ODI side during the tour of Australia. Virat responded to early setbacks in the series with an exceptional run of form, while Rohit also did enough to remain firmly in contention despite a modest outing against New Zealand, where he managed 61 runs across three innings. Both senior batters also featured in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for their respective state teams, Mumbai and Delhi, using domestic cricket to stay match-ready and pass on their experience to younger players.

Since the Australia tour, Virat has played nine ODIs, scoring 616 runs at an average of 88 and a strike rate of 106.39, including three centuries and three half-centuries. Rohit, meanwhile, has accumulated 409 runs from nine innings at an average of 51.12, with one century and three fifties.

With a long stretch of T20 cricket ahead, including the T20 World Cup and the Indian Premier League, the next time Rohit and Virat are expected to don India colours in the ODI format will be the three-match series against England starting July 14.