"Anything less than that, I'd say no" - Former South Africa batter's blunt take on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's ODI future

Former South Africa batter Daryll Cullinan has said that the duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli needed to play a high volume of cricket, keeping the 2027 ODI World Cup in mind. The 58-year-old felt that if both players were unable to play a lot of cricket to keep themselves match fit, then the management should consider moving on from them.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are next likely to be seen in action together on the three-match ODI tour to Australia in October 2025. Cullinan told Hindustan Times:

"Well, I think from an ability and experience point of view, they could play, I don't think there's any doubt in that, but they'd have to be on the ground of international cricket. If I were the coach or convener of selectors, because no matter how good you are, thinking that you can just play a few games or select a few games, not put in the hours and then step in and think you're going to perform, no, that doesn't work that way”.

"So it's a bit of a catch-22, I'm not saying they need to be on the circuit all the time, but they need to have played a serious amount of cricket, especially going into the World Cup, so they're in the right physical, mental frame of mind, the grind of international cricket, being fit, then I would say yes, but anything less than that I'd say no, India move on, because that certainly doesn't work, and that's in my view. They need to be playing quality cricket for the next two years! Far more cricket than less cricket”.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from T20Is after winning the World Cup in June 2024. Both players called it quits from Test cricket in May 2025, ahead of India's tour to England in June 2025.

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Daryll Cullinan calls for Shubman Gill to be made new ODI captain

Shubman Gill will begin his tenure as India's new T20I vice-captain at the Asia Cup 2025, which starts on September 9. Former South Africa batter Daryll Cullinan felt that the time had come for the 25-year-old to take over the captaincy reigns in ODI cricket, regardless of whether Rohit Sharma was part of the playing XI or not.

"Yes, Gill for captaincy, irrespective of whether Rohit is playing," Cullinan said.

Shubman Gill was appointed the new Test captain after Rohit Sharma's retirement from the format in May 2025. He led India to a 2-2 draw in his first assignment in the five-Test series against England, away from home.

He also had a prolific series with the bat, scoring 754 runs in five Tests at an average of 75.40 with four hundreds to his name. He made scores of 269 and 161 in the second Test at Edgbaston, which helped India win the match by 336 runs and square the series 1-1.