Former India captain MS Dhoni has delivered a characteristically forthright take on the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at the 2027 ODI World Cup, dismissing age as a deciding factor and insisting that performance and fitness alone should determine selection.

With speculation mounting over whether the two veterans, who now feature only in ODIs for India, will be part of the squad for the tournament in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, Dhoni was asked the question by commentator Jatin Sapru during a public event. He initially brushed it off with a joke, pretending not to hear the query, before addressing it head-on.

“Why not?” MS Dhoni said. “Why should somebody not play the next World Cup? For me, age is not a criterion. Performance and fitness are. Even if you’re 22 and not fit, you shouldn’t be there. And if you’re 35 and fit, age doesn’t matter.”

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Dhoni stressed that players should neither be judged nor guided by age, but by clarity in selection standards. “Everyone has to be treated the same way. When I made my debut at 24, nobody spoke about age. Whether you play for one year or 20 years, no one needs to come and tell you how old you are. If you’re performing and you’re fit, you keep playing,” he said.

The former skipper also underlined the value of experience at global tournaments, arguing that it cannot be manufactured overnight. “You can’t suddenly find experienced players. International cricket is very different. If you want experience, you need players who are 30, 32 or 33 because that’s what experience actually is,” Dhoni explained.

He added that pressure situations, particularly for lower-order batters and death-over bowlers, require years of exposure. “If a bowler is under pressure 15 or 20 times, he may need 80 or 85 games to truly understand how to control his emotions and handle those moments,” he said.

Dhoni concluded by reiterating the need for balance, but without compromising on fitness. “The right mix of experience and youth is important, but not at the cost of fitness. Performance matters equally for a 24-year-old and a 35-year-old. If you’re performing and you’re fit, you play. If not, you don’t. That should be the only criterion.”