Fitness and runs are what Kohli and Rohit must show. Virat reaches 39 while the 2027 World Cup is being played, and Rohit turns 40 in April of that year, so the new selectors will weigh the ODIs that remain rather than reputation. The BCCI president has said age is not the criterion, which leaves two simple tests: stay fit through eleven confirmed matches and keep turning starts into big scores against competition from Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer.
A Fresh Panel Takes Charge
Ajit Agarkar’s spell as chairman, which started in July 2023, finished on 4 October. It is a new voice at the top of Indian selection, and its early choices will shape how the dressing room reads the future. Pragyan Ojha was already on the panel and was handed the oversight role before the BCCI made him chairperson on 19 October, citing seniority and his 24 Tests.
Ramesh Powar, who arrived through a Cricket Advisory Committee process, sits alongside Ajay Ratra, RP Singh and Shiv Sundar Das. Their opening ODI squad, announced on 17 October, retained Kohli and Rohit both, a quiet signal that nobody is being written off yet. That decision matters because it gives both players a clean slate.
Kohli Rohit ODI World Cup 2027 selection and the Criteria
BCCI president Mithun Manhas has argued publicly that fitness and form should decide selection and that age should play no part. He added that selectors and coaches have the last word, and that the trio of Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Rohit should be a help to captain Shubman Gill. Those words set a clear standard that players can measure themselves against.
No selector has spoken about either player, so the test comes down to staying fit and scoring runs. Kohli sat out the June series against Afghanistan with a hamstring problem, which makes his physical condition the first question the panel will ask. Fitness is not a side issue here; it is the entry ticket.
Their Last Outing Against West Indies
Kohli’s three innings against the West Indies yielded 168: an unbeaten 139 from 88 balls, then 29, then a duck first ball. Rohit finished with 225 from 32, 101 off 75 deliveries, and 92, the more consistent return of the two.
Over 2026 as a whole, Rohit has made 604 runs in 12 ODIs, while Kohli has 552 in nine, and each has two hundreds. In 2025, the pair produced 651 and 650 runs, the two biggest ODI aggregates by any Indian batter. Those totals show the appetite is intact.
Player | ODI Runs 2026 | Hundreds | Last Series |
Virat Kohli | 552 (9 ODIs) | 2 | 168 v West Indies: 139*, 29, 0 |
Rohit Sharma | 604 (12 ODIs) | 2 | 225 v West Indies: 32, 101, 92 |
Shubman Gill | 895 (12 ODIs) | 3 | 110, double century, 1 |
Shreyas Iyer | 219 (9 ODIs) | 0 | 101 in England |
Eleven Matches Remain on the Calendar
Eleven ODIs are locked in. India play five in New Zealand between 4 and 15 November, face Sri Lanka three times between 13 and 19 December and meet Zimbabwe three times between 3 and 9 January. Those matches are the whole audition.
Other tallies are in circulation. A count of 13 predates the end of the West Indies series, a count of 12 takes in the 3 October game, and a 27-match list was drawn up in March 2025. No ODI schedule exists yet for the 2027 Asia Cup. South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will stage the World Cup, which starts on 2 October 2027 and finishes on 21 November.
Verdict on the Veterans’ Chances
On present form, both are selectable, but neither is a certainty. Kohli’s last ten innings include six half-centuries or better, though also 23, 5, 29 and a duck. Rohit has reached 79 or more four times in his ten, yet four of those ten innings finished below 27. Neither record is flawless, which keeps the debate alive.
Gill’s 895 runs this year make him the benchmark at the top of the order, so reputation alone will not protect either veteran. However, as the Kohli-Rohit ODI World Cup 2027 selection argument develops, they must stay healthy across 11 ODIs and convert promising starts into scores.
Do you back both veterans for the 2027 World Cup, or should the panel start planning without them? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are Kohli and Rohit certain to feature at the 2027 World Cup?
No, nothing has been decided yet. The pair are named in India’s squad for the ODIs in New Zealand, but selectors will judge fitness and form over the remaining matches.
Who is the chairperson of India’s selection panel?
Pragyan Ojha holds the role, confirmed by the BCCI on 19 October. He took over after Ajit Agarkar’s term as chairman ended on 4 October, and he had already served on the panel.
How many ODIs are left ahead of the next World Cup?
There are eleven matches locked in so far. They comprise five in New Zealand, three against Sri Lanka and three against Zimbabwe, played between 4 November and 9 January.
Who captains India in ODIs?
Shubman Gill is India’s ODI captain. Shreyas Iyer leads the side in the last two ODIs of the New Zealand tour while Gill and KL Rahul are away, covering the 13 and 15 November games.
When does the 2027 ODI World Cup take place?
It starts on 2 October 2027 and ends on 21 November. South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia are the three hosts, and the final will be played in Johannesburg.
Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.