Sunil Gavaskar believes Rohit Sharma’s removal from ODI captaincy indicates the slim chances of Sharma and Kohli in the squad of the 2027 ODI World Cup. The decision to hand the captaincy to the young poster boy of Indian cricket, Shubman Gill which nears the end of an era of Ro-Ko (Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli). Despite the age factor, since Sharma will be 40 and Kohli, 39. Gavaskar feels, age is not the concern; the lack of match practice is, as pointed out by him.

After retiring from T20Is and Tests, Rohit and Kohli now play solely ODIs, a format that may not be played much in India's calendar year. With the prospects of only playing a handful of ODIs a year, Gavaskar feels it would be difficult for Rohit to stay in the match rhythm necessary for a major tournament. “We don’t know whether Rohit Sharma will be ready for the 2027 World Cup,” Gavaskar explained to Sports Tak, “If he only plays 5-7 ODIs a year, he will not get the kind of practice needed to take part in such a big event. So, preparing Shubman Gill now is the right step."

Gavaskar also stated that the former Indian captain Rohit Sharma would understand the decision, acknowledging the long-term planning. “He’s achieved a lot — a Champions Trophy, a T20 World Cup. There’s no questioning his captaincy. But if the selectors are thinking two years ahead, grooming a young leader makes sense.”

India is expected to participate in roughly 27 ODIs ahead of the 2027 World Cup, although more games may be added to the FTP. Nonetheless, given the rise in T20Is, there will not be much 50-over cricket to play anyhow. Coupled with Rohit and Kohli's unwillingness to take part in domestic cricket, their path to the next World Cup looks less promising. Might we be witnessing the slow fading of India's most successful batting duo?