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As Rohit returned to the pavilion, former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull raised a pointed question about the commentary, which focused not on technique but on desire, especially with the 2027 ODI World Cup more than two years away. “With Rohit, I feel he always had something to chase, like a goal in mind, whether it was the T20 World Cup, whether it was the 50-over World Cup,” Doull said. “I’m just wondering, the World Cup on the 27th in South Africa, isn’t it too far away? Does he have that real hunger?” Doull also highlighted the fragmented nature of India’s ODI calendar, suggesting the lack of regular opportunities could affect rhythm and motivation. “We are preparing for the T20 World Cup for the last minute and for the next two weeks,” he added. “So there has been very little one-day cricket in the last four months and the next three or four months. When you only play one format, you don’t get a huge amount of opportunities.” Former India head coach Ravi Shastri echoed similar sentiments and emphasized that motivation will be the deciding factor at this stage of Rohit’s career. “That’s the key, isn’t it? That’s the right word,” Shastri said. “How hungry you are. It’s hunger. It’s desire. Especially when you achieve the most things in the game.” The debate comes despite a strong recent run for Rohit in the format. He was named player of the series during India’s ODI tour of Australia after scoring over 200 runs, followed by two half-centuries against South Africa. He also featured for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, producing 155 against Sikkim before falling for a duck against Uttarakhand. Rohit, along with Virat Kohli, is expected to return to ODI action later this year during India’s tour of England. Before that, the two will focus on the Indian Premier League as the conversation about form, fitness and hunger will continue to follow one of India’s most decorated batsmen.