Legendary Australia national cricket team captain Ricky Ponting has shared a no-nonsense verdict on whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli could represent the India national cricket team at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
Ricky Ponting said that getting back into rhythm and form will be very crucial for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, but only time will tell if they can play in the upcoming 50-over World Cup.
The only thing I don’t like to hear from anyone is that “I’ve done everything in the game” – Ricky Ponting
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s grand return to international cricket was spoiled by the Australian national cricket team’s early pacers, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
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Kohli and Rohit played their first international match against the Australians at the Perth Stadium on Sunday, October 19, since appearing in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final.
Kohli and Rohit became single-format players after their retirement from Test and T20I cricket, and they will be seen in action in international cricket for a limited period till the end of their careers.
Meanwhile, Rohit and Kohli had an unforgettable return to cricket as the opening batsman was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood for 8, and Mitchell Starc dismissed the Indian No.3 for a duck.
Speaking to The ICC Review, Australian great Ricky Ponting said he doesn’t believe one can achieve everything in cricket and felt Virat Kohli would have set small goals for himself during the Australia tour.
“The only thing I don’t like to hear from anyone is that ‘I’ve achieved everything in the game’ because I think you still need to have very short-term goals and not just hang on to try and qualify for the 2027 World Cup,” Ricky Ponting said.
“Virat has always been a very motivated person. And I would like to think that he has probably sat down and even just given himself some goals and things that he can achieve in this series here in Australia and not just waiting and killing time for the next World Cup to come.”
They will have some very good batting wickets over the next few weeks – Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting further said that Rohit and Virat Kohli have been India’s best batters for a very long time, and only time will tell if they will be able to participate in the ICC World Cup 2027. He said:
“What we know with these two guys, at their best, yes, of course, they are part of the best team in India. But can they find their best by the time the World Cup comes around?
“And that’s just one answer which, as Ravi said, we’ll find out in a short period of time. They’ll have some really good batting wickets over the next few weeks here in Australia. There aren’t many places that are better to go and bat in a one-day match than Adelaide Oval, which is coming up in a few days.”
Finding your rhythm and tempo is the most important thing – Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting also asserted that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who he believes are the GOAT of ODI cricket, will have a big chance to bounce back in the Adelaide ODI against Australia in batting-friendly conditions and backed them to play the upcoming 50-over World Cup if they continue to win games with the bat.
“Finding your rhythm and tempo is the most important thing. When you’ve had a break, just getting used to the rhythm and tempo of the 50 over game, it takes a bit of time for everyone,” Ricky Ponting said.
“I would expect to see both of those guys bounce back pretty quickly. Like I said, Adelaide is a great place to bat and play cricket. But it won’t be easy considering they’re facing some of the best white-ball bowlers who have ever played the game. So the challenge is definitely there.
“But I say it all the time, you never write off champion players. And those two guys have been two of the best, and even though I say publicly that I think Virat is the best 50-plus player I’ve ever seen, you don’t write them off. They will find a way to contribute and win games for their team, and if they do, they will most likely be in that World Cup squad in 2027.”
Also Read: Ravi Shastri keeps Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s 2027 World Cup hopes alive after Perth horror show
