Former India cricketer Ashish Nehra has shed light on the possibility of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma continuing their cricket careers until the 2027 ODI World Cup. While both players have recently retired from T20Is, their passion and motivation remain strong for the longer formats.
Ashish Nehra’s thoughts on Rohit and Virat’s longevity
Nehra emphasizes that there is no shortage of passion and motivation in Kohli and Sharma. Their drive and commitment have propelled them to their current positions in international cricket.
Continuing until 2027 involves both physical and mental aspects. The duo must maintain their fitness levels and consistently raise their performance standards. Young talents like Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sai Sudharsan will keep pushing them.
“It involves both physical and mental aspects. It depends on your passion and motivation and in these aspects, there is no dearth at all when it comes to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. It’s because of their drive that they have reached where they are today. From here, young guns like Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan will keep making runs and push you. For that, you need to keep raising your bar. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have done that and shown,” Nehra told Sports Tak.
Nehra acknowledges that 2027 is distant, but he appreciates the thought. While it’s a great aspiration, it depends on their sustained fitness and form. If they manage it, it would be a remarkable achievement for the team.
“2027 is far away at this point. But it’s great thinking. If you ask me ‘I want to be 18 all my life. I didn’t want to retire. If you give Gambhir a choice and tell him his body is fit, he will say ‘No Sai Sudharsan, I am ready’. 4 years is far away, but it’s a great thought. But, if that can be done, nothing like it,” he added.
Kohli and Sharma narrowly missed winning the ODI World Cup together in the final against Australia last year. Their hunger for success remains, and if they can maintain their physical condition, they might well feature in the 2027 World Cup.
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