The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia once again refuted all the claims surrounding Rohit Sharma’s ODI future, saying the former captain is playing superbly and there is no possibility of him getting dropped from the fifty-over set-up.

“There is no need to give fodder to speculations as Rohit Sharma is playing superbly,” Saikia said after the high-level review meeting ended in Mumbai.

The meeting was attended by ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill, T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer, head coach Gautam Gambhir, CoE head VVS Laxman, and  BCCI president Mithun Manhas and secretary Saikia. Interestingly, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, whose stint is set to end in October, was missing.

“Today we didn’t have a selection meeting, but a normal meeting, like we do after every two to three months, with the head coach, VVS Laxman, and the two captains. We had our discussions about the performances in England and Ireland. And we are also planning for the next year, and the roadmap has been prepared for a good showing in the 2027 ODI World Cup,” Saikia added.

When asked again about Rohit, the secretary swatted the question. “We met to prepare for the future; there are a lot of bilateral series lined up, we also have to play New Zealand away and a five-match series against Australia at home. Then we have the IPL; our main intention is to have the best team combination by the time the next ODI WC comes through.”

Devajit Saikia’s comments ended all speculation over Rohit’s association with the national squad.

Rohit, who is 39, wants to play in the 2027 ODI World Cup, but the selectors and the head coach have refused to confirm his place. It was earlier reported that Rohit’s place in the team would be discussed during the meeting, with the top brass and other stakeholders expected to take a final decision. It was also mentioned that one of the selectors, though not the chief selector Agarkar, had informed Rohit that he would not be selected in the future series.

“Rohit was informed that the panel has no plans of picking him for the bilateral assignments,” a PTI report said. Rohit was told to bid adieu to international cricket after the England series. Although the veteran batter was angry, he accepted the decision.

However, Rohit’s hundred in the series decider delayed the decision. It also showed his importance as an opener and why he is still one of the best batters in one-day internationals.

After the match, Rohit spoke about his future, saying the noise has followed him throughout his career and he enjoys it.

“There is no fun if there is no noise. My job is to score runs, and their job is outside,” Rohit said.

“The noise has been following me since my first game in international cricket. It is going to stay till my last day. It doesn’t matter to me as I only think about my performance on the field.”

Will Rohit Sharma be a part of the 2027 ODI World Cup?

Rohit is in the final phase of his career, and he will be 40 when the 2027 World Cup arrives in 2027. The BCCI is backing the opener rather than scripting his removal.

Saikia’s comments suggest that Rohit will have to be among the runs to stay on board. The former India skipper has a lot of experience and can contribute with the bat in big tournaments.

With the Men in Blue aiming to win the 2027 World Cup, the selectors will have to prepare a backup in case Rohit misses out due to form or injuries.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has shown glimpses of his talent in ODIs, remains one of the favourites to replace Rohit. The selectors will continue to monitor the performances of the other batters while Rohit remains in the squad.