Virat Kohli Not A Concern, Rohit Sharma Must Prove Himself For 2027 World Cup: Saba Karim

Virat Kohli’s fitness and hunger for runs have “completely convinced” the Indian selectors but former captain Rohit Sharma will have to prove his fitness and form if he has to be picked in the side for the 2027 ODI World Cup, says former cricketer and selector Saba Karim.

Kohli and Rohit have both retired from the other formats and next year’s 50-overs World Cup is being perceived as their final act before walking away from the only format they play for India.

"I think Rohit has to do a lot of hard work. He has to work on his fitness levels and on his batting performance,” Karim told PTI in an exclusive interaction.

“I think selectors will be keenly watching Rohit's performance for the next six months to decide whether he can be part of the equation or not. (But) for Virat Kohli, I am sure that they are completely convinced that he will be a part of the 2027 World Cup set-up.” “..because through his performances and fitness level, (and) through his hunger for runs, he has shown all that so I don't think Virat at this stage needs to prove anything to the selectors. Rohit, however, will have to do a lot of heavy lifting if he wants to get back in the selector's' World Cup planning,” Karim said.

Karim said Kohli has upped his scoring rate in the T20 format late in his career, which makes him one of the best multi-format Indian cricketers so far.

"If you look at Virat Kohli's strike rate over the past two-three seasons in T20 cricket, (it) has gone up because he has realised that (for him) to be meaningful in T20 cricket, he has to work very hard on his strike rate,” Karim said.

“If you notice, this season's IPL strike rate, compared to last season, has gone up about 10 to 15. Now his strike rate is between 170 and 180. Last year, it was only 140-150. He's such an individual who keeps working on his strength all the time," Karim added.

“Whatever Virat has achieved in Test cricket, in one-day cricket, and in T20 cricket now, one can always say that arguably, he is one of the best multi-format players that we have seen so far,” the former wicketkeeper-batter continued.

Karim, however, said Rishabh Pant has been given his opportunities but the wicketkeeper-batter only has himself to blame for not being able to excel in white-ball formats.

"Don't you think it is the responsibility of the individual to do well? What are you expecting from BCCI in this regard? (The) BCCI or the selection committee has given him enough opportunity to do well in white-ball cricket in one day as well as in T20s,” Karim said.

“In the end, performance will do better. (The) BCCI and (the) national selectors have shown enough patience on Rishabh Pant. I also believe everybody felt that he is a multi-format player and he will do well in all three formats. Unfortunately, that has not come good." “In white-ball cricket, Pant is yet to find that template that he has found in red ball format and that is why he's so successful in Test cricket. We may feel that he's ideal even for white-ball cricket. But in the end, it does depend on the player,” Karim said.