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Irfan recently mentioned a long phone call with Rohit, in which the Indian captain shared his future planning.
Irfan said at an event of Sony Sports Network,
“I was following those fitness tests. This new test (Bronco) isn’t easy either. Once you clear it, it means your fitness is top-notch. I also had a long call with him to know about his future plans, and he said he’s very keen to ensure he continues playing.
This guy has been a fabulous leader, a brilliant white-ball cricketer, and a great ODI player. He’s a great leader too. We still go back to the 2023 ODI World Cup final, and it was Rohit who was the most heartbroken. But he wants to continue as a player.”
Road to 2027 World Cup not easy
But Irfan warned that the road to the 2027 World Cup will not be easy for Rohit and Kohli. India have to play just 27 ODIs before the tournament, and both the veterans have retired from Tests and T20 Internationals.
Irfan said, “As I mentioned earlier, if a player is fit, age doesn’t matter. But the challenge will be to find playing time because there will be quite a gap in playing 50-over cricket.
When it comes to playing for India, there will be no issue with motivation, be it Kohli, Rohit, or Shami, but what matters is how much cricket they can continue to play and how much playing time they have, in whichever format.
Kohli and Rohit have retired from Tests and T20Is, so that’s the only challenge ahead of them.”
Rohit’s fitness and future
Rohit recently passed the Bronco fitness test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, which shows that he is still in top form.
Preparations for the Australia tour are in full swing, and Rohit passing this test is a clear indication of his selection.
But Irfan says that due to playing fewer ODI matches, Rohit and Kohli may have difficulty in maintaining their rhythm.