Ian Bishop has the last word on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's dreams of playing ODI World Cup 2027

Asked about whether the veteran duo could stretch their international careers to another World Cup cycle, Bishop said, “That’s their decision. I can’t answer that for Rohit or for Virat or for the BCCI. It depends on what their determination and skill are like. They’ve been fine so far.”

Rohit and Kohli were picked in India's ODI squad for the Australia tour, which will mark their return to international cricket for the first time since helping win the Champions Trophy earlier this year.

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Both Rohit, 40 by the time of the 2027 tournament, and Kohli, who will be 39, have continued to maintain high fitness standards and remain central to India's white-ball plans — but their long-term availability remains a topic of ongoing debate.

Bishop also spoke about the changing leadership landscape in Indian cricket, particularly after Shubman Gill led India to a 2-0 Test series win over the West Indies in his first assignment as captain. While praising Gill's composure and potential, Bishop stressed that the youngster is still far from the finished product and will benefit immensely from the presence of Rohit and Kohli during the upcoming ODI series in Australia.

“He’ll be fine. Those two guys will help him along the way. He will grow in the job,” Bishop told PTI Videos. “He’s nowhere near the finished article. People have to give him that chance to grow as a captain, and as a batsman, he will grow as well.”

The former pacer, now a respected commentator, described Rohit and Kohli as a “huge support system” for Gill, especially as he matures tactically in the role.

“He has the temperament and the skill to lead, but the growth in captaincy and tactics is something that will take a couple of seasons to grow into. I’m sure he’ll get help from the two veterans,” he added.

Reflecting on the recently concluded Test series, Bishop acknowledged India’s dominance but found silver linings for the struggling West Indies side.

“From a West Indian perspective, it was great to see a few of the batters spending time at the crease. The trust they showed in the pitch was excellent,” he said, highlighting performances by Shai Hope, John Campbell, and Justin Greaves, along with spinner Jomel Warrican’s efforts with the ball.

“It’s not that they’ve arrived, but they’ve put some building blocks in place,” Bishop noted.

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