India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar made it clear that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will not be judged based on their performance in the ODI series against Australia. He said it would be “silly” to decide their 2027 World Cup future from one series.

Both players now play only ODIs. Because of that, they have missed almost six months of international cricket. When the 2027 World Cup arrives, Rohit will be over 40 and Kohli close to 39. Agarkar admitted the sport has become more demanding but said their experience still matters.

“They are part of the squad for Australia,” Agarkar told NDTV. “They have been incredible players for a long time. You want to focus on the team and what the team wants to achieve.”

He also said that the future remains open. “Why just them two? It could be some other younger players,” he added, hinting that selectors are also thinking about fresh options.

Agarkar Calls It “Silly” to Judge Legends on One Series

When asked if Kohli and Rohit’s selection for 2027 depends on every series, Agarkar replied firmly. “That’ll be a bit silly, isn’t it? When one averages over 50 (Kohli, 57.9) and one is close to 50 (Rohit, 48.8), you are not going to put them on trial for every game.”

He said both players have already proved their value. “2027 is a long way away. Once they start playing, then you assess as you go forward. They are not on trial. They have achieved all they had to achieve, not just in terms of trophies but runs.”

Agarkar added that one bad or good series won’t decide their future. “It’s not that if both of them don’t get runs this series, that’ll be the reason they won’t be there, or if they get three hundreds, that’ll be the reason they play 2027. We’ll see how it all shapes up,” he said.

Agarkar Backs Senior Players

When asked if senior players could slow down the team’s progress, Agarkar disagreed. He said experienced players bring balance and confidence.

“Not at all. You have legacy cricketers because they have built it for themselves with their performances. There’s not one team in the world that won’t want experience,” he said.

He added that teams need both youth and senior players. “It’s always got to be a balance between some of our youth or newer players and the senior players to guide them,” Agarkar said.

He also stressed respect for veterans. “They have created that legacy for themselves, and you treat them with that respect. You want them around the team. Every year so many players make debut for India, you want the senior guys to be around to guide them.”

India Ready for Australia ODIs

India and Australia will begin their ODI series in Perth on Sunday at 9 am IST. The series will test both senior players and new faces as India prepares for future challenges.