Kohli-Rohit no certainties for 2027 World Cup: Shastri

Legendary Indian figure Ravi Shastri believes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma aren't certainties for the 2027 ODI World Cup and both need a big series against Australia to solidify their spots.

With both Kohli and Sharma now retired from Tests and T20Is, ODI cricket is the only international format that remains for the Indian greats with the pair seeking the ultimate success at the 2027 showpiece tournament, which will be held in southern Africa.

That World Cup is still two years away and the recent form of Kohli, 36, and Sharma, 38, has been well below their lofty best.

When pressed on whether he expected the duo to be in contention for a potential swansong in 24 months' time, Shastri said he could see it going either way.

"That's why they're here (playing the ODI series against Australia)," Shastri told reporters at Kayo Sport's Summer of Cricket launch in Sydney on Monday.

"They're part of the mix.

"It depends on their fitness, their hunger and, of course, form.

"So, I think this series is very important to see how they go.

"They themselves will know by the end of this series how they feel and then it's their call.

"(It's) the same thing with Steve Smith (who retired from ODIs in March) from Australia's point of view. At that age, you've got to enjoy it and (you've) still got to have the hunger.

"But there's no substitute for experience when it comes to the big games, as we saw in the Champions Trophy. Come the big games and the big boys step up."

Kohli and Sharma are part of India's 15-man ODI squad that faces the Aussies in three matches in Perth, Adelaide and Sydney on October 19, 23 and 25.

That squad will be led by recently appointed Test skipper Shubman Gill who will take the full-time reins of the 50-over side for the first time in this series.

Staying match fit will be a challenge for Kohli and Sharma given the sheer volume of international cricket they've given away and how limited their options are on the T20 circuit – under current rules laid out by the BCCI they can't play in overseas leagues unless they were to retire from the Indian Premier League, as Ravichandran Ashwin has just done.

But the returns from both veterans were solid at the Champions Trophy, which India won. However, neither have played an international match since the CT final on March 9.

The T20I squad, led by Suryakumar Yadav, looks vastly different to the ODI squad and features superstar spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. It also contains a host of IPL stars who have played little-to-no cricket in Australia like Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Abhishek Sharma and 22-year-old Tilak Varma, who was last month the player of the final of the Asia Cup.

He steered India home against Pakistan in a tricky chase with a superb 69no off 53 balls and he impressed Shastri, who coached India between 2017 and 2021, with his composure.

"(Varma's) innings in that Asia Cup final was absolutely fantastic," Shastri told cricket.com.au on Monday.

"Because under pressure to play like that (was impressive).

"There's some good young guns there in (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, there's (Shubman) Gill, there's Tilak Varma.

"A lot of good young talent and lot of allrounders as well in Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel, so it's a strong white-ball unit.

"India is much stronger in white ball than the red ball.

"Rohit Sharma … Virat Kohli … they know that these youngsters are pushing them."

Australia v India ODIs 2025

October 19: First ODI v India, Perth Stadium, Perth, 2:30pm AEDT

October 23: Second ODI v India, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 2:30pm AEDT

October 25: Third ODI v India, SCG, Sydney, 2:30pm AEDT

Australia v India T20Is 2025

October 29: First T20I v India, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7:15pm AEDT

October 31: Second T20I v India, MCG, Melbourne, 7:15pm AEDT

November 2: Third T20I v India, Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 7:15pm AEDT

November 6: Fourth T20I v India, Gold Coast Stadium, Gold Coast, 7:15pm AEDT

November 8: Fifth T20I v India, The Gabba, Brisbane, 7:15pm AEDT

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