Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting feels that Rohit Sharma's choice to not retire from ODIs indicates that he has his eyes set on playing the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup.
Rohit recently won his second ICC crown as India captain when the side won the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai by defeating New Zealand by four wickets. There was much speculation about his possible ODI retirement, particularly after he quit T20Is after India's victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados.
But Rohit ended all those speculations with his guiding of India to Champions Trophy victory. "When you come to this level in your career, everyone thinks that you should retire. I don't know why, particularly when you are still playing at a high level," he responded on being adjudged Player of the Final for his match-winning score of 76.
Ponting, in The ICC Review program, also concurred. "I think what he was doing was trying to quash those questions once and for all by saying, 'No, I'm still good enough. I love playing for this side. I love captaining this side.' The fact that he said it is still telling me that he's got a clear purpose in mind—playing in the 2027 World Cup."
Unfinished Business from the 2023 World Cup Final?
Rohit had taken India to the 2023 ODI World Cup final at home, only to suffer a heartbreaking six-wicket defeat to Pat Cummins' Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Ponting thinks that loss could be a deciding factor in Rohit's choice of remaining as the team captain till the next ODI World Cup, to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
"His losing the previous one, having him as captain, may be in his head. He will want one last chance at least to win the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy and even the 50-over World Cup. Looking at him play in the final of the Champions Trophy, you wouldn't put your money on his time running out just yet," Ponting summed up.
With Rohit in charge, India's journey to the 2027 ODI World Cup appears to be an interesting one.
