Ravichandran Ashwin’s candid take on Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli’s World Cup 2027 spots
Former Indian Cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin believes that it will be almost impossible to drop Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the Indian Team. His statement came after the recently concluded India vs. England ODI series, where Rohit Sharma silenced his critics and put an end to retirement rumours by playing a magnificent century-plus innings at Lord's. According to Ashwin, Rohit and Virat command a massive fan following, and dropping them could cause fans to stop watching cricket.
Speaking with journalist Vimal on his YouTube channel, Ashwin remarked that if Rohit and Virat wish to play, no one can drop them. Large crowds flock to stadiums to watch them, and any mishandling of the situation would have repercussions for everyone involved.
“They cannot touch Virat and Rohit if they want to play. It is because of their credentials. Rohit has scored almost 12,000 runs; they cannot touch him. The other thing is that they are batters, and if you touch them, they have an army. People come to see them. If you drop them, it will just break the roof down,” Ashwin said.
Ravichandran Ashwin also praised Rohit Sharma's 138-run knock at Lord's, noting that had he remained fit, he could have even scored 180 runs. He had been under immense pressure leading up to the match, especially following reports that selectors had informed him he was not being considered for the 2027 World Cup squad.
There was even speculation that Rohit might retire after the Lord's ODI—a rumour later dismissed by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia. Although Rohit Sharma played a brilliant innings of 138 runs at Lord's, India ultimately lost the match by 27 runs, and England clinched the series 2–1.
“I felt like Rohit was in really good form. The position he is in and the way he batted, it’s not that difficult for him. We have seen him for so many years; there’s nothing left to prove. Whom does he have to prove? It is only about the internal appetite: I want to go to the World Cup, that’s why I need to play like this,” Ashwin added.
