Veteran Indian Cricketers' Futures Uncertain Ahead of 2027 ODI World Cup

As of August 27, 2025, former Indian women's cricket captain Anjum Chopra has shared her thoughts on the future of veteran cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Chopra believes the two stalwarts may not be automatic choices for the upcoming 2027 ODI World Cup, as there have been "dark clouds" over their international cricket future.

Rohit and Kohli have been away from the game for a while now, having retired from T20Is and Tests and remaining active only in the ODI format. Chopra reckons that since the two players have been absent from the media and cricketing world, people have been missing them and speculating about their future. However, she asserts that no one should decide their future, and when they return to the field, they will perform as they are "two big players."

In the same conversation, Chopra was asked to compare the captaincy of Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni, both of whom have led India in all formats. She refused to make a choice, stating that captaincy and eras cannot be compared as the circumstances are never the same for anyone. Chopra pointed out that India's cricket fortunes have fluctuated over the years, with unexpected wins and losses, and one should simply support the players and enjoy their game.

Under Dhoni's captaincy, India won all three ICC white-ball tournaments - the T20 World Cup, ODI World Cup, and Champions Trophy. Rohit, on the other hand, led the team to the T20 World Cup title in 2024 and the Champions Trophy in 2025, but narrowly missed out on the 2023 ODI World Cup, where India lost to Australia in the final.