The world of cricket is buzzing with questions about the future of team India captain Rohit Sharma. At the age of 37, he has become the point of discussion as some people believe that the upcoming T20 world cup in 2026 might be his last chance to win a world cup for India. Rohit has played in 11 World Cups, in which there were eight T20 World Cups and three ODI World Cups, but he only got victory in his first attempt, which was in 2007 World Cup. He came close to winning the World Cup again in the years 2015, 2016, and 2019 but got defeated in the semi-finals with the mere Miss again last year.
Although the determination of Rohit Sharma to play until the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa is burning bright, the career of a player depends upon two important factors: form and fitness. Traditionally, Indian cricket has the tendency to see its players, who are around 40 years old, as past their prime. Even the legends like Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni have also faced this kind of criticism for the fluctuations in their performances in there later years so if Rohit Sharma wants to play beyond upcoming World Cup he also have to face the similar kind of and MS Dhoni have also faced this kind of criticism for the fluctuations in their performances in there later years so if Rohit Sharma wants to play beyond upcoming World Cup he also have to face the similar kind of criticism.
However, a strong counterpoint to this age-based approach comes from Yograj Singh, who is the father of the star all-rounder of Team India. Yuvraj Singh wants the Board of Control for Cricket in India to move away from their age factor and consider Rohit Sharma for as long as his form and fitness are good.
Yograj himself, a former cricketer with experience in one test match and six ODIs for team India from 1980–81, believes that Rohit has a unique dedication to fitness, which is similar to Virender Sehwag. He suggests that with this commitment, Rohit has the potential to continue playing until he is 50.
The Yograj statement also highlights a significant shift in thinking, as he said that age can be a mere number if a player is maintaining their physical condition and consistent performance. While giving the example of Mohendra Singh, who won the World Cup at the age of 33 and became the player of the match in the final, he asked the question: Should the BCCI give priority to experience and leadership over age while selecting the players?
The upcoming 18 months are going to be critical for Rohit Sharma, both as a leader and a player. The T20 World Cup is coming, followed by the highly anticipated Border Gavaskar Trophy against the Australian cricket team, where both teams are going to play five test matches against each other. These important events are going to test the captaincy scales of Rohit along with his ability to maintain his peak form.
