‘Rohit Sharma will have to do a lot of heavy lifting’: Saba Karim says Virat Kohli's 2027 World Cup spot is beyond doubt

NEW DELHI: Star batter Virat Kohli's performances, fitness and insatiable appetite for runs have left Indian selectors with little doubt over his place in the 2027 ODI World Cup plans, but former India wicketkeeper and selector Saba Karim believes former captain Rohit Sharma still has plenty of work to do if he hopes to make the cut.

With both Kohli and Rohit having retired from Test and T20 cricket, the 2027 World Cup is widely expected to be the final chapter of their illustrious international careers. However, Karim feels the two former captains are currently in very different positions.

“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. “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.”




'Virat does not need to prove anything'
Karim said Virat Kohli's consistency and commitment have already convinced the selectors.

“For Virat Kohli, I am sure that they are completely convinced that he will be a part of the 2027 World Cup set-up,” he said. “Because through his performances and fitness level, 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 selectors' World Cup planning,” he added.

The contrasting IPL 2026 campaigns further highlighted the difference. Kohli played a pivotal role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's title defence, scoring 675 runs at a strike rate of 165.84 with one hundred and five half-centuries.

Rohit, meanwhile, endured a difficult season as Mumbai Indians finished ninth, managing only 283 runs in nine innings.


Kohli's ability to evolve impresses Karim
Karim hailed Kohli's willingness to reinvent himself even in the latter stages of his career.

“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 to be meaningful in T20 cricket, he has to work very hard on his strike rate,” Karim said.

“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. 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,” he elaborated.