As Indian cricket team pivots its focus toward 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, the strategy for veteran stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli has become clear. Following their retirements from T20Is and Test cricket, the legendary duo is now specializing exclusively in the 50-over format to ensure they reach the mega-event in peak condition.
According to the latest schedule, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are expected to feature in nine home ODIs during the 2026-27 season. In addition, they are set to play three ODIs against Afghanistan national cricket team and three more against England cricket team in an away series scheduled for July. The Indian side is also slated to tour New Zealand for a five-match ODI series in 2027.
In total, both Virat and Rohit are likely to play at least 20 ODI matches in the lead-up to 2027 ODI World Cup.
The 2026-27 Home Calendar (9 ODIs)
BCCI has confirmed a packed home schedule featuring three major bilateral series. Rohit and Virat are slated to lead the charge in all 9 home ODIs:
vs. West Indies (September – October 2026): 3 ODIs (Venues: Trivandrum, Guwahati, New Chandigarh)
vs. Sri Lanka (December 2026): 3 ODIs (Venues: Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad)
vs. Zimbabwe (January 2027): 3 ODIs (Venues: Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai)
Overseas Assignments & Total Tally
Including away tours and recently concluded fixtures, the duo is set to appear in approximately 17 to 18 ODIs over the next 12-15 months. This includes:
Upcoming Away Series: Tours of England (3 ODIs in July 2026) and potentially an expanded series in New Zealand (3-5 ODIs).
Earlier Cycles: Matches against Afghanistan (3 ODIs in June 2026) and the conclusion of previous 2025-26 assignments.
Strategic Focus: Quality Over Quantity
Reports suggest that India has scheduled roughly 27 ODIs in total across nine bilateral series before the 2027 World Cup. While the veterans might not play every single match due to workload management, they are expected to participate in at least 20–22 high-intensity games to maintain their rhythm.
Full List of Confirmed Home ODI Fixtures (2026-27)
Sept 27, 2026 – vs West Indies – Trivandrum – 2:00 PM IST
Sept 30, 2026 – vs West Indies – Guwahati – 2:00 PM IST
Oct 03, 2026 – vs West Indies – New Chandigarh – 2:00 PM IST
Dec 13, 2026 – vs Sri Lanka – Delhi – 2:00 PM IST
Dec 16, 2026 – vs Sri Lanka – Bengaluru – 2:00 PM IST
Dec 19, 2026 – vs Sri Lanka – Ahmedabad – 2:00 PM IST
Jan 03, 2027 – vs Zimbabwe – Kolkata – 2:00 PM IST
Jan 06, 2027 – vs Zimbabwe – Hyderabad – 2:00 PM IST
Jan 09, 2027 – vs Zimbabwe – Mumbai – 2:00 PM IST
