Should Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma be automatic selections for the 2027 ODI World Cup, or should India start taking the process further? Former Indian captain MS Dhoni joined the debate and made it clear that in his opinion age should never be a factor in selection.
Dhoni, who led India to the ODI and T20 World Cup titles along with winning the Champions Trophy, said if Kohli and Rohit are fit and performing, there is no reason why they should not be part of the squad for the South Africa tournament. Drawing on his own experience of playing the ODI World Cup 2019 at the end of his career, Dhoni added that the decision should ultimately rest with the players themselves.
“For me, age is not the criteria. Performance and fitness are the criteria,” Dhoni said at the event. “I always feel that no one should be told anything. But it should be clear that everyone will be treated equally.”
Reflecting on his own journey, Dhoni said that age was never discussed when he broke into the Indian team and it should not be discussed afterwards.
“When I made my debut, I was 24, nobody told me anything. And now that I have played for India for 10, 20 years or whatever, nobody has to come and tell me about my age,” he added.
“Why shouldn’t they play it? Age is not the criteria, it’s performance and fitness. If they perform and are determined to do well, then why not? You can’t get an experienced 20-year-old unless it’s Sachin.”
~ Dhoni on Rohit/Kohli
pic.twitter.com/ZBJzcFWJKn— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) February 4, 2026
You need experience in the team: MS Dhoni
The 44-year-old, who continues to feature in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings, underlined the value of experience in major tournaments. According to Dhoni, the World Cup calls for players who have already experienced pressure situations and learned to handle them.
“You need players who have played 80 or 85 internationals to understand how to tame their heart, how to control emotions and handle pressure. The right balance between experience and youth is very important,” he said.
So far, India head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have remained non-committal about the future of Rohit and Kohli, both now playing only ODIs. However, Dhoni insisted that the selection must remain straightforward and uniform.
“Treat everybody the same. If people are performing, they’re going to be there. If they’re not performing, they’re not going to be there. If a guy’s not fit, you can fire him at any time,” he said.
“When it comes to selection, there should be no questions about any individual. There is only one criteria. You perform, you are fit, keep playing.”
Kohli’s recent ODI form only strengthens Dhoni’s argument. In the series against South Africa and New Zealand, the former captain rediscovered his supreme touch, scoring three hundreds and two fifties. His evolution from a direct aggressor to a poised enforcer has added another layer to his game and remains a significant positive for India entering a crucial phase of this World Cup cycle.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
February 4, 2026
