Ranchi, November 29 (Udaipur Kiran): India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel believes that former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can play in the 2027 ODI World Cup if they remain mentally and physically fit and feel their bodies are ready. He said it would not be difficult for them if they continue to work hard on their fitness.
Morkel was asked about the future of Rohit and Kohli as both now play only ODI cricket after retiring from T20 and Test formats. Responding after a practice session in Ranchi on Friday, he said there is still a lot of time before the 2027 World Cup and both players are quality cricketers.
He said that as long as Rohit and Kohli continue to work hard and their fitness supports them, there should be no problem. He added that experience is extremely valuable and cannot be replaced easily. Morkel also said that both players have won several trophies and have vast experience of playing in big tournaments, which makes them strong contenders for future World Cups if they stay ready.
India will play the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on November 30. The team practiced here on Friday ahead of the match.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play together on home soil after nine months. They last played an international match at home against England on February 12, 2025, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Both players attended net practice ahead of the first ODI and will be seen playing in front of home fans after a long gap.
Morkel said that the team now has a chance to reset after a disappointing last two weeks and must shift full focus to the ODI format. He said India has performed well in this format over the last few years. He also noted that South Africa are coming after winning a Test series and are full of confidence, making them a challenging opponent.
On the fitness of players, Morkel said that Test captain Shubman Gill is recovering well and that he spoke to him two days ago. He also said that Shreyas Iyer has started his rehabilitation.
Morkel said that wearing the India jersey means representing crores of people and every match is important. He added that his main focus is to bring rhythm back to the Indian dressing room, which will come only if the team plays good white-ball cricket.
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