After a successful ICC Champions Trophy, where India lifted the trophy, the focus of the Indian ODI team now shifts to the big 50-over World Cup. It will be played in 2027 in South Africa.
Amidst all the build-up and the preparations, there have been a lot of speculations over the future of India's 50-over skipper Rohit Sharma.
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Former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh has now slammed the critics and urged the World Cup-winning Indian skipper to continue playing cricket for at least five more years, as the country needs him.
Rohit Sharma should play till the age of 45
In his illustrious cricketing career, Rohit has led India to two ICC Championships, including a T20 World Cup and a Champions Trophy. He has also been India's most consistent and prolific opening batter in the modern era, especially in the white-ball format.
There have been talks about the batter's fitness and considering that he will turn 40 in two years, the questions over his 2027 World Cup participation have led to debates over his future.
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Yograj Singh, however, has rubbished all the criticism of the Indian skipper. He believes that BCCI should ensure that Rohit remains fit, even if it takes putting 'four men on him' for his training.
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Yograj referred to Rohit 's fabulous knock in the Champions Trophy Final (73 off 86 balls) against New Zealand and stated that the knock is a testimony to why he should play cricket till 45. "The man about whom so many people speak rubbish, Rohit Sharma. I said that day that Rohit will be my man..." Yograj told News18 CricketNext.
"The way he batted, his batting was one side and the rest of the team’s batting on the other side. His innings on one side and the rest of the world on the other. That’s his class. You can say, ‘Rohit, aapki hume 5 saal aur zarurat hai yaar,' so please do more for your country, work on your fitness...Put four men on him, make him run 10 kilometres every morning. He has the class to play till 45 years of age, if he wants,' added Yograj.
What is Rohit Sharma's record in ODIs?
Rohit Sharma is the only batter in the world to have scored three double hundreds in the 50-over format. His knock of 264 remains the highest individual ODI score.
Under his captaincy, India recently won the ICC Champions Trophy, where he scored amongst the runs, leading the charge at the top of the order. He scored 180 runs in 5 innings at the ICC event with aggressive intent.
The Mumbaikar was also key to India's success at the last 50-over World Cup, which took place in India.
Rohit Sharma's ODI records
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | SR | 50s | 100s | 200s | HS |
| 273 | 265 | 11,168 | 48.76 | 92.80 | 58 | 32 | 3 | 264 |