“You don't write off champion players” - Ricky Ponting shares how Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can play the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failed to make an impact with the bat in the first ODI against Australia.

Former Australian captained Ricky Ponting opened up about the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in ODI cricket. He said that finding the tempo will be one of the biggest thing for them but both would have set short term goals for themselves. 

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made a return to the Indian setup after seven long months during the first ODI against Australia. However, their return was not how they would have wanted as they both failed to make a mark and bagged low scores. 

While, Rohit Sharma scored eight runs, Virat Kohli was out for a 8-ball duck. With them not making mark in the Perth ODI, talks about their future got even more higher. However, with two ODIs still left, a lot will depend on how they both fare in last two matches. 

Ricky Ponting, while talking about the future of Indian legends, said that he doesn’t like players saying that they have achieved everything in the game as there need to be short-term goals. He believes that Virat Kohli would have already identified what he needs to do in the Australia series. Speaking to ICC, he said:

“The one thing I don’t like hearing from anyone is that ‘I’ve achieved everything in the game’ because I think you still have to have some really short-term goals and not just be hanging on to try and get through to the 2027 World Cup. Virat’s always been a highly motivated person. 

“And I’d like to think that he’s probably sat down and even just given himself some goals and things that he can achieve in this series here in Australia and not be just waiting and killing time for that next World Cup to come around. What we know with both of those guys, at their absolute best, yes, of course they’re in India’s best team.”

“But can they find their best between now and when that World Cup rocks around? And that’s only an answer that, like Ravi said, that we’ll find out in a short period of time. They will get some really good batting wickets coming up over the next few weeks here in Australia. There’s not many places that are better to go and bat in a one-day game than Adelaide Oval, which is coming up in a couple of days.”

You don’t write off champion players ever – Ricky Ponting on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli 

Ricky Ponting stressed that finding rhythm and tempo will be tough for Rohit and Virat but he expressed his confidence in both making a comeback in Adelaide. He concluded by saying that if they both manage to win games, they will be there for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. 

“Finding your rhythm and tempo is the biggest thing. When you’ve had a break, just getting back used to the rhythm and the tempo of the 50-over game again, it takes a little bit of time for anybody. I’d expect to see both those guys bounce back into it pretty quickly. As I said, Adelaide is a great place to bat and a great place to play cricket. But it won’t be easy for the fact that they are facing some of the best white-ball bowlers that have ever played the game.

“So, the challenge is definitely there. But I say it all the time, you don’t write off champion players ever. And these two guys have been two of the best, and while I’m on record saying I think Virat’s the best 50-over player I’ve ever seen, you don’t write them off. They’ll find a way to contribute and win games for their team, and if they do that, then they’ll most likely be in that World Cup team in 2027.”

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