‘Rohit Sharma will have to do a lot of heavy lifting’: Saba Karim says Virat Kohli’s 2027 World Cup spot in doubt

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s performances, fitness and insatiable appetite for runs have left India’s selectors in no doubt about his place in the 2027 ODI World Cup plans, but former India wicketkeeper-batsman Saba Karim believes Rohit Sharma still has a lot of work to do if he hopes to make it.With both Kohli and Rohit having retired from Test and T20 cricket, the 2027 World Cup is expected to be the final chapter of their illustrious international careers. However, Karim feels that the two former captains are currently in very different positions.“I think Rohit has to do a lot of hard work. He has to work on his fitness and his batting performance,” Karim told PTI. “I think the selectors will be keenly watching Rohit’s performance for the next six months to decide whether he can be a part of the equation or not.”“Virat doesn’t have to prove anything”Karim said Kohli’s consistency and determination have already convinced the voters.“As far as Virat Kohli is concerned, I am sure they are fully confident that he will be part of the 2027 World Cup build-up,” he said. “Because he has shown it all with his performances and his fitness level, his hunger for runs. So I don’t think Virat has to prove anything to the selectors at this stage.”“However, Rohit will have to do a lot of hard work if he wants to get back into the World Cup schedule,” he added.The contrasting campaigns of IPL 2026 further highlighted this difference. Kohli played a key role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title defence, scoring 675 runs at 165.84 with one hundred and five half-centuries.Rohit, meanwhile, endured a difficult season as Mumbai Indians finished ninth, managing just 283 runs in nine innings.

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Kohli’s ability to develop impresses KarimKarim appreciated Kohli’s willingness to reinvent himself even in the latter stages of his career.“If you look at Virat Kohli’s strike rate in the last two to three seasons in T20 cricket, it has gone up because he has realized that to be meaningful in T20 cricket, he has to work very hard on his cricket frequency,” Karim said.“Now his strike rate is between 170 and 180. Last year it was only 140-150. He is such an individual who is constantly working on his strength. Whatever Virat has achieved in Test cricket, in one-day cricket and in T20 cricket now, one can always say that he is undoubtedly one of the best multi-form players we have seen.”