Fact Check: Are Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Retiring from ODIs Before World Cup 2027?

Rumours have been doing the rounds that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma might retire from ODI cricket before the 2027 World Cup. But here’s the simple truth — nothing has been confirmed yet.

Last year, right after India won the T20 World Cup, both Kohli and Rohit announced their retirement from T20Is. Most fans thought this move was to allow them to focus more on ODIs and Test cricket. But earlier this year, the two also stepped away from Test cricket, which surprised many.

This led to fresh talks that maybe the duo were planning to build up for one final shot at the ODI World Cup in 2027. The tournament will be held in South Africa, and it’s the only ICC trophy they haven’t won together.

But the road to 2027 may not be so simple.

India’s Test team is already in transition, with several younger players coming in. The same could happen in ODIs soon. If that happens, there’s no guarantee that Kohli and Rohit will be part of the squad for the next World Cup.

A PTI report recently said that the BCCI is likely to take a call on their ODI future soon. A BCCI source said, “Yes, it will be discussed soon. We still have more than two years for the next World Cup. Both Kohli and Rohit will be pushing 40 by then, so there has to be a clear plan ahead for the big event as our last win was in 2011. We also need to try out a few youngsters in time.”

That said, it’s important to remember these are just early reports. The BCCI hasn’t made any official statement yet.

Also, now that both players have retired from T20Is and Tests, they only play one format – ODIs. That means there’s no workload pressure. If they stay fit and in form, there’s no reason they can’t play the 2027 World Cup.

So for now, there’s no truth to the retirement rumours. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are still active in ODIs, and any decision about their future will only come after discussions with the board.