Raina Says Rohit and Kohli Give India a Big Edge at the 2027 World Cup
Suresh Raina says Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would greatly improve India’s 2027 ODI World Cup chances, and hails the women’s Asian Games gold.
By SportCricket Desk · 23 Sep 2026 · 2 min read
Former India batter Suresh Raina has backed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to be part of India’s 2027 ODI World Cup plans, saying their experience could be decisive. The tournament will be staged across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Raina was speaking to reporters in New Delhi on September 22. He played with both men and pointed to their records in international cricket and the IPL. In his view, having the pair in the side gives India a 90 per cent chance of winning the trophy.
Rohit and Kohli have retired from Tests and T20Is but still play ODIs. That leaves India able to lean on their big-tournament experience while bringing younger players through before the World Cup. The final squad is still some way off, and the combination remains a topic of discussion.
Praise for the women’s team
Raina also congratulated India’s women’s team on Asian Games gold. They beat Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final in Nisshin on September 22.
He said the team had been consistent for years and that their confidence and fitness had kept growing since their World Cup triumph, with the Asian Games gold following on. He described them as professional and said it was encouraging to watch, and he congratulated every player who won a medal for their hard work.
