Retirement far off, Kohli helping India plan for ODI World Cup 2027: Shubman Gill
India captain Shubman Gill has revealed that former India captain Virat Kohli is heavily involved in the planning of ODI World Cup 2027. Gill also answered queries about Rohit Sharma and his place in the team going into the marquee tournament.
Virat Kohli helping India plan for ODI World Cup, says Shubman Gill. (Reuters Photo)
Former India captain Virat Kohli is firmly involved in the Indian team's planning for the 2027 ODI World Cup, skipper Shubman Gill revealed ahead of the three-match ODI series against England.
India begin their preparation for the 2027 tournament, set to be held in South Africa. Shubman Gill is set to lead a star-studded Indian team featuring Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah.
While there has been chatter about the futures of Virat and Rohit, India captain Shubman Gill hinted that the senior duo are nowhere close to retirement. Shubman said that Kohli was firmly involved in the Indian team's planning for the World Cup and the future beyond, advising him on the players who should be on India's radar.
"We were speaking about the combinations that could work in South Africa next year, the players who are not in the team at the moment and who could be tried out," Shubman said ahead of the opening ODI in Birmingham.
'NO IMPACT OF T20I SERIES ON THIS TEAM'
The Indian captain also allayed any concerns over Rohit Sharma, stating that the star batting duo had formed the backbone of the Indian cricket team for over a decade and deserved the respect that came with it.
"Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the backbone of the Indian batting line-up for the past decade, and they remain an integral part of the team. The experience and skill they bring are obviously very valuable. We have seen what they have done over the past decade in different conditions, consistently, across a number of matches and tournaments," Gill said.
The team comes into the series after a disastrous run in the T20Is, where they lost both the Ireland and England series. Shubman said that should not be a concern for the Indian team, as the format was completely different.
"I don't think there will be any impact of the T20 series on this one. This is a different format, a different team and different goals. So it is a different atmosphere here," Gill added.
The first ODI of the series will begin at 3:30 pm IST on July 14.
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