Will Rohit Sharma play the ICC ODI World Cup 2027? Mohammad Kaif answers

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has made a stunning prediction, stating that Rohit Sharma, the former Indian captain, will definitely play the ICC ODI World Cup 2027, scheduled to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif stated that Team India will definitely require an experienced opener in the ICC mega event, adding that the South African conditions will perfectly suit someone like Sharma.

“He will definitely play. Look, the captaincy may have been taken away from him, but I believe that as an opener, Rohit Sharma will do his job. You need an experienced batter in the side. You can’t go to South Africa, where the World Cup will be played, with an entirely young team. Sometimes in those seaming conditions, the ball moves a lot and the pitches are bouncy. If you take only new players there, they’ll get exposed,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

Furthermore, Kair also asserted that on a big stage like the World Cup, Team India would surely require the experience of Kohli and Rohit instead of going with a young and inexperienced team. 

“That’s why I feel you need a player who can handle the bounce, who can pull and cut the rising deliveries just like Rohit Sharma does. On those kinds of pitches, I believe Rohit Sharma will perform even better. His batting style as an opener suits such conditions perfectly. He plays the rising ball, the one that bounces from the front, extremely well. Among all the players you can name, Rohit Sharma is the only one who handles that rising delivery so effectively,” he added.

“Just look at his numbers, his years of experience. On a big stage like the World Cup, you need players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, players who have seen the world and experienced ups and downs. In a tournament like the World Cup, you’re going to lose a game or two in between, then you’ll need to make a comeback. You’ll face those do-or-die matches where you must win to reach the quarterfinals or top four. In such crucial situations, the roles of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli become absolutely vital,” he concluded.

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