Pujara (left) and Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma (right) Each bilateral series will be crucial for veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as they prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup, former India cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara said on Thursday, as both players now exclusively participate in the ODI format, which poses challenges in maintaining form during extended breaks between matches.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Kohli and Rohit, who recently played in the ODI series in Australia, are slated to take part in the upcoming series against South Africa starting on November 30 in Ranchi.
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“For both of them, I think every series will be very important because when you play only one format. It’s important for a player to be in touch with the game and he will play after some break, which is a bit more challenging,” Pujara said during the Media Day ahead of the first Test against South Africa.“Having only played one format, I can speak from experience that when you play international cricket for a long time, you struggle to find a rhythm. When it comes to white-ball cricket, it’s a bit easier,” Pujara added.“But at the same time because of the age they have to work hard and the way they’ve been, they’ve seen results recently that they’ve scored. And we hope they’ll play until their World Cup in 2027,” the former Test specialist said.Rohit, 38, showed excellent form in Australia, scoring 73 and 121 not out in the second and third ODIs, earning him the Player of the Series award. The 37-year-old Kohli contributed an unbeaten 74 in the third match.“It will be their personal challenge. I don’t think we should look that far ahead. It also depends on how their body reacts, how they enjoy playing one format of the game and if they enjoy it and continue and if they have good form, then we will see what happens next,” commented Pujara.“But from now on, I think every series becomes very important because it’s very important for them to perform, to score runs, to keep the rhythm and to maintain their form, and that’s why I believe every series, every game becomes very important for them.”As for Mohammed Shami, the senior pacer who underwent ankle surgery after the 2023 World Cup and has been absent from India’s plans since the Champions Trophy in March, Pujara called for a “very frank conversation with him”. Shami was not selected for the home Test series against the West Indies and the upcoming South Africa series.Shami’s last Test appearance was in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia.“I’m not the one to answer .. I mean the selectors and the team management should have a very honest conversation with him. What’s the plan going forward? Either they want to pick him or they’re looking at young players,” Pujara said about Shami’s future.
