‘Work on his fitness levels and batting performance’ – Saba Karim shares thoughts on Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma’s 2027 World Cup chances

Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has suggested that Rohit Sharma might not be a guaranteed selection, like Virat Kohli, for the upcoming 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup set to be played in Southern Africa. Both former captains have retired from Test and T20I cricket, with the One Day International (ODI) format remaining the only active format they play on the international stage.

Despite playing just one format for India, Karim is still not convinced by Rohit’s fitness and form to count him as an automatic selection for next year’s marquee tournament. The former player-turned-expert believes that the BCCI will pay close attention to the 39-year-old’s performances during the upcoming series against Afghanistan (fitness dependent) and England to decide on his future. 

“I think Rohit has to do a lot of hard work. He has to work on his fitness levels and on his batting performance. I think selectors will be keenly watching Rohit’s performance for the next six months to decide whether he can be part of the equation or not,” Saba Karim was quoted as saying on The Times of India. 

Karim, meanwhile, believes that Kohli will be one of the first names on the team sheet ahead of the 2027 World Cup. The right-handed batter has shown great form in recent matches, including scoring two centuries against South Africa in 2025 and one against New Zealand earlier this year. The 58-year-old is also impressed by Kohli’s high fitness levels and hunger to score runs, something he cannot say about Rohit. 

“For Virat Kohli, I am sure that they are completely convinced that he will be a part of the 2027 World Cup set-up. Because through his performances and fitness level, through his hunger for runs, he has shown all that. So I don’t think Virat at this stage needs to prove anything to the selectors. Rohit, however, will have to do a lot of heavy lifting if he wants to get back in the selectors’ World Cup planning,” he added. 

It is worth mentioning that Kohli is reportedly set to miss out on the ODI series against Afghanistan after sustaining a hamstring injury during the 2026 Indian Premier League final where his 75 not out guided the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second title. 

Rohit, on the other hand, is also facing a race against time to be fit and available for the aforementioned series. He missed a few IPL games for the Mumbai Indians due to a hamstring injury.