Shreyas Iyer To Drop Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma From India’s 2027 World Cup Squad? Reasons Disclosed

Why Shreyas Iyer could drop Rohit, Kohli from ODIs [Source: AFP]

With the IPL set to get over on May 31, and international cricket returning from next month, the Indian cricket team’s planning for the future has already started. A new T20I captain in Shreyas Iyer is on the cards as the PBKS skipper is set to replace Suryakumar Yadav after the IPL.

Not only in ODIs, but Iyer is also tipped to become the new ODI skipper, as the selectors are planning to have just one captain for the two white-ball formats (ODIs and T20Is).

Iyer is a strong contender to become the new ODI captain, and if he gets appointed, the 31-year-old could be interested in not having Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the 2027 World Cup plans. The World Cup is still 1.5 years away, and here are the 3 major reasons why Iyer might not be keen on having the two experienced players in his squad.

1) He might not play at his designated spot if Kohli plays

Iyer was injured during the home ODI series against South Africa, and in his place, India tried Ruturaj Gaikwad at number 4, and the move paid dividends. The Maharashtra batter looked compact and even scored a majestic century batting alongside Virat Kohli.

He played some lovely backfoot punches, and South African conditions demand players to play on the backfoot, as there is extra bounce on the surface. Gautam Gambhir is keen on having Gaikwad in the squad for the World Cup, and if Kohli stays at 3, Iyer might not get a chance to play at his favourite spot (number 4).

Hence, if there is no Virat Kohli in the 2027 World Cup squad, Iyer could push Gaikwad to play at number 3, and he could continue to bat at his usual number 4 spot.

Also Read: Indian Players Whose Careers Could Be Over If Shreyas Iyer Becomes T20I Captain

2) Rohit Sharma has fitness issues

Rohit Sharma is 39-years-old, and by the time the World Cup 2027 arrives, he’ll be 40 and won’t be getting any younger. As one gets older, injuries tend to take over the body, and that’s exactly what’s happening with the former Indian captain.

The right-handed batter worked hard on his fitness before the IPL 2026, but that fitness didn’t last for long as he hurt his hamstring during the RCB clash, and missed a few matches for the Mumbai Indians before returning to play as an impact player.

Fitness might not be on Rohit’s side as he enters his 40s next year, and apart from that, Rohit’s ODI numbers in South Africa are also dismal. He has played 14 ODIs in South Africa, and has an average of just 19.

3) Iyer might aim to win Gautam Gambhir's trust

Gautam Gambhir is a serial winner, having won the Champions Trophy and the T20 World Cup 2026, and if Iyer gets appointed the new ODI captain, he’ll be aiming to win the trust of his head coach.

Throughout last year, rumours continued to flow that Gambhir doesn’t want Kohli and Rohit in the ODI scheme of things. He was adamant to create a young team for the 2027 World Cup, with no Rohit and Kohli in it.

To create a strong rapport with his head coach, Iyer would want to be in sync with Gambhir, and he could follow Gambhir’s ideology by removing the experienced duo from the ODI setup before the 2027 World Cup.

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