‘October 2027 is a long way off’: Rohit Sharma breaks silence on FIFA World Cup future, opens West Indies ODI preparations

NEW DELHI: Rohit Sharma has refused to look too far ahead for the 2027 ODI World Cup, insisting October 2027 is still a long way off as speculation continues over whether the veteran batter will feature in the next edition of the global showpiece.When asked about his chances of playing in the World Cup at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai on Thursday, Rohit offered a short but significant answer.“October 2027 is a long way off, so we’ll see,” Rohit replied when asked about his participation by an audience member.The remark comes amid lingering questions over the 39-year-old’s international future. Rohit has already retired from T20Is and Tests, so ODIs are his only remaining international format. But his form continues to keep the possibility of a career extension firmly in the conversation.The 2027 ODI World Cup will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Rohit leaves the World Cup door open

Rohit’s future came under particularly intense scrutiny during India’s recent tour of England. Ahead of the third ODI at Lord’s, there was speculation that his final international appearance for India could be the decider of the series.Instead, Rohit responded in an emphatic manner.Chasing 388 in the series decider, the former India captain produced a sensational 138 off 110 balls, smashing 17 fours and five sixes. Although India eventually lost the match by 27 runs, the innings served as a strong reminder of his ability to dominate at the highest level.Rohit finished the three-match ODI series with 175 runs at an average of 58.33 and a strike rate of 98.31, including his match-defining century. He amassed 379 runs in nine ODI innings this year at an average of 42.11 and a strike rate of over 99, with one century and one fifty.Rohit has also started training ahead of India’s ODI series against West Indies, which starts at home from September 27. The official Instagram account of ‘Team Ro’, the batter’s media team, posted a clip of him unleashing his signature stroke play, with the simple caption: “Finesse.”

“Why is there any speculation?”

The BCCI also tried to downplay the speculation about Rohit’s future.After the board’s previous review meeting in Mumbai, secretary Devajit Saikia backed the veteran and pointed to his recent performances, especially his 138 against England.“He is playing brilliantly in all the matches. So what more can you want? He scored 138 runs in the last match (against England), so why the speculation? I don’t want to give any fodder to the speculators,” Saikia told reporters.Rohit was also asked about the possibility of an open bus celebration in Mumbai if India win the 2027 World Cup, similar to the 2024 T20 World Cup celebrations.“….I don’t think a bus procession would be possible now,” replied Rohit.