Ajinkya Rahane has joined those supporting Rohit Sharma for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Rahane believes Rohit remains a major player who deserves another World Cup appearance. However, questions over his participation next year have continued. Retirement speculation also gathered considerable momentum during this period. Nevertheless, BCCI rejected every such rumour.
Rahane believes team management should clearly communicate its 2027 World Cup plans with Rohit. According to him, the senior batter deserves complete clarity about his future.
Rahane Says Team India Needs Rohit’s Experience
Rahane said management must tell Rohit that he will play the 2027 World Cup. He urged everyone to consider Rohit’s contribution across several years. Moreover, Rahane believes India will need such experience during the tournament.
Rahane also questioned the selectors’ approach towards a player of Rohit’s stature. He argued that selectors should not assess such cricketers after every series. Therefore, discussions about Rohit’s World Cup participation should not arise. In simple terms, Rahane believes nobody should doubt Rohit or Virat Kohli’s ability.
Earlier, retirement speculation surrounded Rohit during the England series. Reports claimed he could retire following the Lord’s ODI. However, Rohit responded with a historic 138-run century in that match. Consequently, he became the first Indian batter to score an ODI hundred at Lord’s.
Rahane Also Throws His Support Behind Virat Kohli
Rahane, who recently announced his international retirement, also backed Virat Kohli for the 2027 World Cup. Furthermore, he believes senior players should receive complete freedom from team management.
According to Rahane, experienced cricketers enjoy playing when captains and management offer full support. He also stressed that cricket depends heavily on maintaining rhythm.
Rahane said this principle applies equally to younger and experienced players. Therefore, he sees no reason for debate about their quality. He added that both should play if they want to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
