Shubman Gill backs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, highlighting their strong recent ODI form
Rohit scored 92 after a hundred, while Kohli also hit a century in the West Indies series
Gill says India have little time for experimentation and want to settle on their preferred combination ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup
Shubman Gill has made it clear that India are not looking beyond Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli just yet, with the ODI captain pointing to the pair’s recent performances as evidence of their continued value to the side ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
India’s two most experienced batters have produced a strong run of form against the West Indies. Kohli began the three-match series with a century, while Rohit responded with a hundred in the second ODI.
The former India captain was once again among the runs in the final match, falling just eight runs short of another century after scoring 92.
Their performances have come amid continued speculation over their futures in ODI cricket. With Kohli now 37 and Rohit 39, there have been questions over whether India should begin looking towards younger options with the 2027 World Cup approaching.
Gill, though, believes the performances of the two senior players speak for themselves. Asked about their form following the third ODI in New Chandigarh on Saturday, October 3, he dismissed any suggestion that the team has doubts about their ability to contribute.
“They have been batting, you know, really well. We have seen Rohit bhai, I think, in the last four innings; this is his third hundred, I think. So, he has been batting really well, so has Virat bhai and even whenever KL has got the chance, he has, you know, done the work for the team,” Gill said during the post-match press conference.
The India captain also had words of praise for KL Rahul, who has continued to deliver when opportunities have come his way.
“He has, he has put in that effort and he has batted brilliantly,” Gill added.
Gill was also asked about the possibility of India resting Kohli and Rohit in the coming matches to give younger players an opportunity.
However, with the number of ODIs available before the 2027 World Cup limited, the captain believes India need to start settling on their first-choice combination rather than continually experimenting.
“I honestly think there isn’t that much time to experiment, you know. The combination that we want to play, hopefully, you know, we get all the players that are available from the next series and the combination that we would like to play in the World Cup, we want to start playing with that combination,” Gill said.
