Yuvraj Singh called for clarity on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s ODI future ahead of the 2027 World Cup, urging selectors and Gautam Gambhir to hold open discussions.
Former cricketer Yuvraj Singh has urged the Indian team management to define future plans for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. He said both players remain capable of playing the tournament. He highlighted the need for timely communication from selectors and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
“Senior players are important. I don’t know what is going on in Rohit and Virat’s minds. It looks like they’re thinking of the World Cup. But I think that’s the call they and the selectors need to take. There has to be clarity. You should be able to sit in a room and discuss things. It’s tough. If someone tells you they are looking ahead, you won’t be able to take it, but one year down the line, you’d appreciate that someone gave you clarity,” Yuvraj told Sports Tak.
Yuvraj then stressed that clarity now would prevent confusion. He pointed to Kohli’s strong recent form and Rohit’s consistency. He then noted the limited ODI schedule as a challenge.
“Virat Kohli has had a superb series. Rohit has been performing consistently. If a situation comes up in the next 1.5 years, it shouldn’t be that your second line isn’t ready. Now, ODI cricket isn’t played as much. Whoever you want to play, make sure you give them enough time,” he continued.
“You may not like hearing that the team is looking ahead, but a year later, you will appreciate that at least someone told you the truth to your face. That does not really happen in Indian cricket,” the former cricketer added.
Need to Give Consistent Chances to New Players
Yuvraj Singh also noted the need to balance experience with youth development. He pointed to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored a 100 in his last ODI but remains out of the playing XI, and questioned the delay in giving youngsters consistent chances.
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“The players who are at the end of their careers, giving clarity is very important. The captain, coach, and selectors should sit with the guys and explain how they are looking at things. The conversation might not go well, but at least you tried on your end. Look at Yashasvi Jaiswal; he scored a century in his last ODI, but he is sitting out. When will you groom Jaiswal? You have the World Cup next year,” Yuvraj said.
“If you are going to the World Cup, you should have played several games. I am not saying you should drop someone. But if you’re playing the 2027 ODI World Cup, you need to start preparing your squad now. You need to give them many games. Take a decision, it shouldn’t happen at the last minute that one of your senior players gets injured and there’s no young player,” he concluded.
India’s ODI Calendar for the Rest of 2026
Looking forward, Afghanistan will tour India for a 3-match ODI series on 14, 17, and 20 June 2026 in Dharamshala, Lucknow, and Chennai. India then travels to England for 3 ODIs on 14, 16, and 19 July 2026 in Birmingham, Cardiff, and London.
West Indies visit India for 3 ODIs on 27 September, 30 September, and 03 October 2026 in Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati and New Chandigarh. India will also tour New Zealand for 3 ODIs in Oct–Nov 2026. The ODI schedule concludes with a 3-match home series against Sri Lanka on 13, 16 and 19 December 2026 in Delhi, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.
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