Shubman Gill's elevation as India's ODI captain and Rohit Sharma's removal from the role have sparked debates about the future of Rohit and Virat Kohli in international cricket. Former India allrounder Irfan Pathan believes that both senior players will need to feature regularly in domestic cricket to keep their hopes alive of representing India in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
On Saturday, October 4, India announced their squads for the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia, with both Rohit and Kohli included. The two stalwarts will return to professional cricket for the first time since the IPL 2025 concluded in May. However, Pathan cautioned that long breaks from competitive cricket cannot become a regular occurrence if they intend to continue playing at the highest level until the next World Cup in South Africa in 2027.
Pathan also praised the 25-year-old for his appointment as India's ODI captain but warned that significant pressure will be on his shoulders to carry forward the legacy of the two stalwart captains who preceded him.