India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has pushed back against mounting speculation over the long-term ODI future of veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, calling the debate unnecessary and out of place given their continued high-level performances and impact on the team.
Kotak’s remarks came after India’s victory in the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi, where Kohli produced a masterful 135 off 120 balls to steer the team home — just weeks after a similarly dominant stand with Rohit Sharma helped defeat Australia in Sydney.
Kotak: ‘No reason to talk about his future’
Kohli, who has now scored 52 ODI hundreds and remains active only in the 50-over format, continues to spark questions about whether he’ll still be part of India’s 2027 ODI World Cup plans. But Kotak dismissed those conversations outright, emphasizing his current form and fitness as all the proof needed.
“I don’t know why we need to look at all this – he’s really batting well, and I don’t see any reason we need to talk about his future,” Kotak said after Kohli’s 135 from 120 balls took India to victory in the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday.
“Just the way he’s batting, it’s just brilliant. The way he’s performing, [and] his fitness – there are no questions about anything,” Kotak said. “I feel such things [the 2027 World Cup] shouldn’t even be spoken about after the way he plays and performs. That is something which is two years away. There’s no point talking about all this. For us, once the team arrives and we start practice, we just enjoy.”
Kohli, Rohit form a vital partnership — again
Both Kohli and Rohit Sharma have remained in red-hot form in recent ODIs. Their unbeaten 168-run partnership in Sydney was followed by another century stand — 136 runs — in Ranchi, a testament to their chemistry and experience at the top.
Rohit, 38, has also been active only in ODIs of late, but continues to deliver — scoring 121* and 73 in Australia before his 57-run knock against South Africa. Together, the duo’s performances have been crucial to India’s recent dominance.
“They are such experienced players; it’s always great to have them,” Kotak said. “The way they bat – like today also, that partnership – it makes a huge difference. Obviously, they batted really well.”
Experience and leadership still matter
Beyond the runs, Kotak emphasized the off-field value that Kohli and Rohit bring — particularly as mentors for younger players navigating the pressures of international cricket.
“Obviously, they do share their experience with others,” Kotak said. “I don’t think we’re talking anything about the 2027 World Cup. They are just brilliant, and they are performing. They are contributing to the team, which is a great thing for us.”
The message from India’s batting coach is clear: performance, not age, will shape selection. And as long as Kohli and Rohit are scoring runs and lifting the team, their place is not up for debate — 2027 or not.
India focus on the present, not future projections
With India taking a 1-0 lead in the series against South Africa, the team’s attention remains firmly on the present. Kotak’s comments underline a broader team philosophy: let performances dictate the narrative, not speculation.
“There’s no point talking about all this,” Kotak said. “For us, once the team arrives and we start practice, we just enjoy.”
In the lead-up to future ICC events, the form of veterans like Kohli and Rohit could prove pivotal — and for now, both are delivering when it matters most.
