There is a lot of speculation on whether India veterans, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, will make it to the 2027 ICC World Cup.
Such discussions have sparked among fans especially after Shubman Gill replaced the latter as captain of the Men in Blue in the 50-over format. Many believe that the upcoming three ODIs against Australia could be key for their continuation on the international circuit, especially regarding the next ODI World Cup.
However, Ajit Agarkar, chief selector at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has stated that they are not on trial in every match that they play.
What Agarkar Said About Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma
While attending the NDTV World Summit 2025 event, Ajit Agarkar said this about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s futures depend on the upcoming IND vs AUS ODI series:
“It will be silly to put them on trial for every game. Once they start playing they will be assessed but they are not on trial,“
He further said, “It doesn’t mean if they don’t get runs in Australia, they would be dropped and similarly if they score three tons in Australia, they would be selected for 2027 World Cup,“
The two stars of modern Indian cricket announced retirement from Tests earlier this year (and have already retired from T20s in 2024). Interestingly, Ajit Agarkar said at this event that he would have liked to have their experience in England during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Tests from earlier this Summer:
“If any place where we would have liked experience is England. Both are stalwarts and they had approached us. And once they have decided, you have got to respect their decision,“
The India vs Australia ODI series begins this Sunday, that is October 19, 2025 in Perth.
Check out: India vs Australia Series: Match Dates, Time, Venues, How to Watch And More
