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India have a long international programme before the next IPL season starts, with headline series against England, New Zealand and the West Indies to worry about. For two veteran star players, though, the task is simpler: convince the selectors they will be able to contribute at the 2027 ICC Men\u2019s Cricket World Cup.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Nobody can doubt the ability, or contributions to Indian cricket, of Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma. Both are rightful legends of the sport, and have dedicated their careers to the game. However, one thing that neither man can control is time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Virat Kohli will turn 39 years old during the tournament, while Sharma will already be 40 when it starts. There are genuine concerns whether either could hold up to the gruelling schedule of 11 ODIs in under 50 days. On this front, though, one player has more answers than the other.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n With Kohli and Sharma retired from Test and T20I formats, they are only linking up with India for the ODI games. The first of these came on Afghanistan\u2019s recent visit, where Sharma was able to recover from a hamstring issue he suffered in the IPL and play in all three games.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Despite a slow start in the first ODI, where he was run out for just 16, Sharma rapidly improved. The second ODI saw him blast an aggressive 48 off 39 balls, while his third knock was a dominant 79 off 69. In the end, Sharma provided a major contribution to India sweeping the series 3-0.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The same can\u2019t be said for Kohli. He wasn\u2019t able to recover from a hamstring injury, and so played no part. Worse still, he\u2019s only provisionally named for July\u2019s ODI series against England, and will need to pass fitness protocols to get on the field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The first ODI against England is on 14th July at Edgbaston, with the second on 16th July in a rare visit to Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. The series finale is on 19th July at Lord\u2019s. All of these matches, along with the rest of the team\u2019s international schedule, have a full range of markets available across Goal\u2019s recommended <\/span>best betting apps in India<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n There\u2019s no denying Kohli\u2019s ODI record for India. Across 311 matches, he has amassed almost 15,000 runs, including 54 centuries and over 70 fifties. Some even believe he should be granted the same status as Sachin Tendulkar, who was allowed a \u2018select yourself\u2019 policy heading into the 2011 World Cup.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n There are also intangibles at play that aren\u2019t easily identified on a stat sheet or in a fitness report.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Virat Kohli was a young batsman at the 2011 World Cup, and has spoken about how the whole team established a mentality of winning the tournament for Tendulkar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n They succeeded, driven by the desire to give one of the game\u2019s all-time greats a crowning send-off. There is a strong argument that Sharma and Kohli could inspire a similar mindset among the current generation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n There are also some unique off-field benefits that Sharma can bring to the team. The former captain can be instrumental in assisting Shubman Gill with mentoring the younger players. From triumph to disappointment, there is little he hasn\u2019t experienced.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Sharma\u2019s knocks against Afghanistan proved he can still perform with the bat, and his off-field leadership remains undisputed. So long as he is happy subordinating himself to Gill, there are very few reasons to not include Sharma.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\nTour of England critical after Afghanistan worries<\/span><\/h2>\n
Off-field aspects just as important<\/span><\/h2>\n