Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli told to play domestic cricket in lead up to 2027 WC; ‘only then will their dream…come true’

The return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli has brought a breath of fresh air among the fans as the Indian batting duo returned to the national team after a gap of seven long months. Both Rohit and Virat have retired from Tests and T20Is. The last time they played for India in an ODI was in February-March during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which they won. Both Rohit and Kohli have been named in the Indian ODI squad for their white-ball tour of Australia, later this month.

Moreover, Rohit was replaced by Shubman Gill as the new ODI captain of the Indian team. Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan, highlighted the Indian stalwarts need to have consistent game time to maintain their form and fitness in order keep themselves available for selection for the 2027 ODI World Cup in Africa.

"Rohit has worked well on his fitness. He is focused on that. But there is regular fitness, and then there is game-time fitness. If you are not playing regular cricket, you have to ensure some game time. They have to play domestic cricket," Pathan said in a video on his YouTube channel. "They are big players and know what to do.

"They have all the experience in the world. But they are not even playing T20Is, so there will be big gaps between the few matches that they play before the big World Cup. They will need regular game time to be fit for that. Only then will their dream to play the 2027 World Cup come true," added Pathan, who had played alongside Rohit and Kohli for India.

During their away from cricket, Rohit worked on his fitness, losing around 10 kgs while Kohli has been in practice in the United Kingdom. Kohli moved to the UK with his family soon after the Indian Premier League.

Will Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli play domestic cricket in 2026?

Ever since Gautam Gambhir became the head coach of the Indian team, playing domestic cricket was made mandatory for all the BCCI contracted cricketers if they aren't on national duty or not carrying any injury. Likewise Rohit and Kohli played a Ranji Trophy match each for their respective state teams after India's tour of Australia earlier this year.

In the lead-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup, India will play 27 ODIs against seven opponents. However, it remains to be seen whether both the former Indian captains turn up in domestic cricket in the coming season.