27 July,2026 09:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rohit Sharma (Pic: File Pic)
Former cricketer Aakash Chopra feels that Team India's veteran opening batsman Rohit Sharma is irreplaceable in the 50-over format. Ahead of the ODI World Cup 2027, which will be hosted in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, the former cricketer feels that the conditions in the "Rainbow Nation" will demand experience.
"As long as Rohit Sharma is fit, available, and scoring runs, he remains irreplaceable. We are talking about sheer pedigree and legacy here. You do not need to look anywhere else in ODI cricket right now. We should not forget that the next World Cup is in South Africa, where conditions demand experienced heads who have been there, done that, and delivered under pressure," Chopra said on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan.
Rohit, along with Shubman Gill, has tasted a decent amount of success as Team India's opening pair in the One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Speaking on the opening pair, the former cricketer said that there is no need to tinker with something that is not broken.
"Right now, the opening pairing with Shubman Gill is working seamlessly, so why tinker with something that isn't broken? Often, when you have an abundance of options, there's a temptation to try something new just for the sake of it. But no matter how tempting those alternatives look, do not distract yourself. Keep the focus entirely on the World Cup, and as long as Rohit is here, Rohit stays," he concluded.
Recently, Rohit made his appearance in the three-match ODI series against England. In the third ODI, the right-handed batsman played a glorious knock of 138 runs off 110 deliveries. His knock was laced with 17 boundaries and five maximums.
However, despite his ton, the "Men in Blue" suffered a loss by 27 runs at the Lord's Cricket Ground in the City of Westminster.
He ended England's ODI series with 175 runs in three matches at an average of 58.33 and a strike rate of 98.31, with a century, a blistering 138 in 110 balls with 17 fours and five sixes during a 388-run chase in the series decider, which India lost by 27 runs.
(With ANI Inputs)
