Virat Kohli’s place in India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup continues to attract plenty of attention, but his childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma does not appear worried at all. In fact, he believes there is barely a reason to even discuss whether Kohli should be part of India’s World Cup plans.
Kohli’s future in ODI cricket has been a talking point for some time. With the 2027 World Cup still ahead, questions about age, workload and long-term planning are naturally being raised. But when the discussion turns to Kohli’s performances, Rajkumar Sharma feels the answer is already sitting right in front of everyone.
Speaking to India Today at an event organised by the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA), Sharma was asked about Kohli’s chances of playing in the 2027 World Cup.
His response was remarkably straightforward.
According to Sharma, instead of debating Kohli’s future, people should simply look at what the former India captain is doing on the cricket field.
He pointed towards Kohli’s recent performances and suggested that his numbers and performances should be enough to settle the argument. Sharma also highlighted Kohli’s ability to change the course of a match almost single-handedly, describing him as a player who remains capable of producing something special whenever he gets going.
And that is perhaps the biggest reason why Sharma remains so confident about Kohli.
Kohli’s numbers are doing the talking
There is certainly evidence behind Rajkumar Sharma’s confidence.
Since the 2025 Champions Trophy, Kohli has been India’s highest run-scorer in ODI cricket during the period mentioned. He has scored 760 runs in 12 matches at an impressive average of 76.
Even more importantly, those runs have not come through a collection of ordinary innings. Kohli has registered three centuries and five half-centuries during this period.
That is a pretty strong response to questions about whether he still has the hunger and ability to perform at the highest level.
For a player whose career has already included almost every major individual and team achievement, motivation is often one of the biggest questions. But Kohli’s recent ODI numbers suggest that the hunger has not disappeared.
His ability to remain fit, score consistently and turn matches around is exactly why his childhood coach believes discussions about his World Cup place are premature.
Sharma has known Kohli since his early days in cricket and has watched his development from a talented youngster into one of India’s biggest cricketing stars. For him, Kohli’s success is not simply the result of natural talent.
It is the product of years of discipline, hard work and an extraordinary work ethic.
Sharma has previously spoken about Kohli’s self-belief from a very young age. He remembers the youngster who joined his club and gradually developed the mentality required to reach the highest level of the sport.
That journey eventually took Kohli to the India captaincy, a moment that Sharma remembers with particular emotion.
Rohit Sharma’s future is also under the spotlight
Interestingly, Rajkumar Sharma also made it clear that Rohit Sharma remains a match-winner.
Rohit’s ODI future has also become a subject of discussion, particularly because of his age and India’s long-term planning ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
The 39-year-old, however, has continued to produce meaningful performances.
Since the Champions Trophy, Rohit has reportedly scored 727 runs in 15 matches at an average of 51.92, including two centuries.
One of those centuries came at Lord’s in July and temporarily pushed retirement speculation into the background.
That innings was significant because it once again showed what Rohit can do when he gets settled. The elegant stroke-maker has spent much of his career making difficult batting look surprisingly simple, and his recent performances have ensured that questions about his future cannot be answered purely by looking at his age.
For Sharma, the same basic principle applies to both Rohit and Kohli: performances matter.
The next big test starts against West Indies
The discussion around both senior batters will become even more interesting when India return to ODI action.
India are scheduled to begin a three-match ODI series against West Indies from September 27, with the three games set to be played within 10 days.
For Kohli and Rohit, the series will provide another opportunity to make their case with the bat.
It is not simply about adding a few more runs to their career records. Every ODI from now on could carry additional importance as India gradually build towards the 2027 World Cup.
Following the West Indies series, India are scheduled to play five ODIs in New Zealand between November 4 and 15. Sri Lanka will then tour India in December for another three-match ODI series.
That gives both veterans plenty of opportunities to show whether they remain central to India’s plans.
And for Kohli in particular, the message from his childhood coach is clear: there is no need to write him off while he continues to perform.
The 2027 World Cup is still some distance away, so plenty can change before the tournament begins. Injuries, form, workload and team combination will all play a role in India’s eventual selection.
But if Kohli continues producing numbers like his recent ODI record, the debate about his place may become increasingly difficult to justify.
At this stage, the strongest argument for Kohli’s World Cup future is not his reputation or his enormous career record.
It is what he is doing right now.
And that is precisely why Rajkumar Sharma believes the question surrounding Kohli’s place in the 2027 World Cup should not even be a major discussion at this point.
The coming ODI assignments against West Indies, New Zealand and Sri Lanka could provide an even clearer picture. Until then, Kohli’s bat appears to be giving the loudest answer of all.
