Veteran Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been picked for the ODI series in Australia, and former Indian coach Ravi Shastri believes that they need a great series Down Under to solidify their spots in the 2027 World Cup squad.
With both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma now retired from the two formats of the game, Tests and T20Is, ODI cricket is the only format that remains for the Indian greats, and only ultimate success in the upcoming series can earn them a spot in the 2027 World Cup.
The anticipation is higher for the Australia tour, since the two greats of the game will play the series in overseas conditions. Moreover, the conditions might slightly resemble those in the next World Cup, which do not match in any way with the subcontinent conditions.
India's only known overseas white-ball tour for now is against Australia, while the two other series will be played at home against South Africa and New Zealand. The England series is too far from now to ensure the Indian veterans a spot in that squad.
Hence, even the former Indian coach Ravi Shastri feels that both the batters are not certainties for the next World Cup and both need a very successful series in Australia to enhance their chances of making it to the next World Cup.
"That's why they're here (playing the ODI series against Australia)," Shastri told reporters at Kayo Sport's Summer of Cricket launch in Sydney on Monday, as quoted by ICC.
"They're part of the mix. It depends on their fitness, their hunger and, of course, form. So, I think this series is very important to see how they go. They themselves will know by the end of this series how they feel, and then it's their call," he added.
"There's no substitute for experience..." - Former coach highlights the importance of the Big Boys
The World Cup is still 2 years from now, and though nothing much could be said about the form of both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, their age, 36 and 38, respectively, has posed a major concern for the Indian selectors, who are looking for long-term options.
However, recalling their promising show in the Champions Trophy, when Virat Kohli won it for India in the semi-final against Australia and Rohit Sharma played a match-winning knock in the final against New Zealand, Shastri admitted that it's the big boys who step up in big games.
"But there's no substitute for experience when it comes to the big games, as we saw in the Champions Trophy. Come the big games and the big boys step up," he said without any hesitation.
Virat Kohli … they know that these youngsters are pushing them - Ravi Shastri hints at Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma’s ODI exit
The former Indian coach went on to praise young Indian cricketers like Tilak Varma for his splendid Asia Cup knock and also backed Yashasvi Jaiswal.
"(Varma's) innings in that Asia Cup final was absolutely fantastic, because under pressure to play like that (was impressive)," Shastri told cricket.com.au on Monday.
"There's some good young guns there in (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, there's (Shubman) Gill, there's Tilak Varma. A lot of good young talent and lot of all-rounders as well in Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel, so it's a strong white-ball unit."
He was fearless in voicing his opinion as he claimed India's white-ball team to be far more strengthened than the red-ball side and said it is their talented young pool of players who have pushed the veterans to the limit of their exclusion.
"India is much stronger in white ball than the red ball. Rohit Sharma … Virat Kohli … they know that these youngsters are pushing them," he concluded.
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