Former South African skipper AB de Villiers has put his weight behind Rohit Sharma for the ODI World Cup 2027. AB said Rohit has never been the most consistent player for a long period of time, but he is certainly a big-match player for India.
It was earlier reported that Rohit would play his final ODI game at Lord’s, but he answered the critics in style. However, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia downplayed such speculations.
Rohit scored a brilliant knock of 138 runs off 110 balls in the third ODI at the iconic venue on Sunday as he became the first Indian batter to score an ODI century at Lord’s. However, his efforts went in vain as India could not chase down a gargantuan total of 388 runs and lost the series by 2-1.
The veteran batter scored 17 fours and five sixes in his blistering knock as he batted at the top of his game.
“Rohit has never been the most consistent player for a long period of time, a little bit up and down, but when the big moments present themselves, he needs to be in your side. I would just man manage him really well and make sure he stays match-fit more than anything else, and get him ready for that World Cup,” AB de Villiers said in a video on his YouTube channel.
AB highlighted that the veteran duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have performed consistently and India would need their experience in the ODI World Cup.
“The two of them (Rohit and Virat), the proof is in the pudding, winning ICC trophies, being there in that World Cup final against Australia, there are a lot of reasons to be confident. You need that experience in big tournaments. You just can’t buy that at a supermarket, what Virat and Rohit bring to the party. In pressure moments, it changes everything. There’s a whole different pressure playing in World Cups and big tournaments.”
The former RCB batter said Rohit is still making vital contributions in big matches for India and hailed the veteran for his knock against England at Lord’s.
“India never really got going, but you could see the difference Virat and Rohit make in the team and the kind of belief they bring back into the side. About Rohit, you can just clearly see the confidence and impact that he has with the players around him, scoring a magnificent hundred in the final game. A lot of the media people are getting on his case. But he is still in decent form, especially in big matches. He leaves the best for the big games. And that’s why I would have absolutely no doubt in making him part of my 2027 World Cup plans,” he said.
On the other hand, Virat Kohli returned with scores of 5, 65, and 74 in three ODIs against England.
