Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have shared a warm moment ahead of India’s ODI series in England, a campaign that opens the long road to the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2027. That tournament runs from October 4 to November 21, 2027, across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Two veterans, one format
Both players have left T20Is and are now concentrating on the 50-over game. India arrive hoping to recover from a 2-1 ODI series loss to New Zealand in January 2026.
Kohli was in outstanding form in that series, making 240 runs in three innings, including 124 off 108 balls in the last ODI at Indore. During it he went past 28,000 international runs in his 624th innings, overtaking Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket. He is in the squad after recovering from the hamstring injury suffered in the IPL 2026 final, subject to final fitness clearance.
Rohit, the captain, had a tough time against New Zealand with scores of 26, 24 and 11. In the earlier series against Afghanistan he had made 14, 48 and 79. He stands third on the all-time list of ODI centurions with 33, behind Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar.
The schedule
The three ODIs will be played at Edgbaston on July 14, Cardiff on July 16 and Lord’s on July 19. With the World Cup on the horizon, the series should help shape India’s plans, and steady performances over the next two years could secure both players another World Cup campaign.
