Ravi Shastri has raised questions about the ODI future of veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The former India coach said the upcoming Australia series might be decisive in showing whether they’ll aim for the 2027 World Cup. He added that their continuation will rely on form, fitness, and passion for the game.

In Sydney, at the Summer of Cricket launch, Shastri remarked that the The Australia series will be a benchmark for both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

“That’s why they’re in the ODI squad against Australia. Their selection will depend on fitness, hunger, and form. This series is crucial to see how they perform.”

He highlighted Steve Smith‘s retirement, noting that the final decision is with the players.

“They (Rohit and Kohli) will have a sense by the end of the series about how they feel, and ultimately, it will be their decision. It was a similar situation with Steve Smith, who stepped away from ODIs in March,” he added.

With their retirements from Tests and T20Is, Kohli and Sharma have only ODIs left to pursue World Cup glory in 2027. Although the tournament is still two years away, their game time has sparked concerns about whether they can continue performing at the highest level.

Shubman Gill will lead India in ODIs for the first time.Rohit and Kohli haven’t played since the Champions Trophy final on 9 March.

Despite the break, both have stayed focused on fitness, with Rohit training hard in Mumbai.