Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep 26: Rohit Sharma now plays international cricket only in ODIs. The India batter has set his sights on the 2027 ODI World Cup. His ambition surfaces as India open a West Indies series.
A career now built around ODIs
Rohit Sharma’s international career has narrowed to a single format. Test cricket and T20 internationals are now behind him. ODI cricket is all that remains.
That narrower focus has produced a clear long-term target. The 39-year-old is looking towards the 2027 ODI World Cup. The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will be staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Reports place the tournament between October 4 and November 21.
Why 2027 still matters
Speaking to JioStar, Rohit rejected any idea that his ODI ambitions are exhausted. He said the idea that his business was finished would “never cross my mind”. For Rohit, unfinished business in ODI cricket remains a live motivation. As long as he plays, he said, there is something to pursue. The World Cup is the objective he named directly.
The context is significant. India reached the 2023 ODI World Cup final under his captaincy. They arrived unbeaten before losing to Australia at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
ODI World Cup glory remains a notable gap in his record. He was part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning sides in 2007 and 2024. He captained the latter triumph.
Adaptation as the real test
Rohit also framed ICC tournaments as a distinct challenge. Teams face different opponents at different venues, he noted. That demands a different approach to preparation. It also requires players to “think in a different way”. A three-nation host arrangement underlines that demand.
An ODI record already established
Rohit’s case rests on substantial evidence. He has scored 11,895 runs in 288 ODIs. That tally includes 34 centuries and 62 half-centuries. He averages 48 and strikes at 93.
His 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014 remains the highest men’s ODI score. He is also the only batter with three ODI double-centuries.
India begin the next preparation cycle
India vs West Indies opens the immediate ODI schedule. The three-match series starts at Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield International Stadium. Guwahati hosts the second ODI on September 30. New Chandigarh stages the final match on October 3.
Five ODIs in New Zealand and three against Sri Lanka follow this year. India then meet Zimbabwe in a three-match series in early 2027. Together, these fixtures offer valuable ODI cricket before the World Cup.
Experience inside a changing team
The India ODI team itself is evolving. Shubman Gill leads the squad for the West Indies series. KL Rahul serves as vice-captain.
Rohit and Virat Kohli remain in the group as senior batters. Newer options such as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad sit alongside them. Rohit now contributes experience in a squad he does not lead.
The road ahead
Rohit has named 2027 as a target worth pursuing. His record explains why his continued presence carries weight. Yet ambition and selection are separate matters. The World Cup remains more than a year away. The coming ODI schedule is the next stage of that journey.
