Rohit Sharma’s lean run in the ongoing ODI series against England has once again brought his ODI future under the spotlight, with indications that the selectors and team management are beginning to look beyond the former captain as they build towards the 2027 ODI World Cup.
With the next World Cup still over a year away, the focus has gradually shifted from short-term results to identifying a settled core for the future. That process is expected to include a fresh look at the opening combination, and Yashasvi Jaiswal is understood to be firmly back in the selectors’ plans after missing out in recent months.
Though informal feelers are understood to have been sent, the Board’s office bearers have not formally discussed the matter with Rohit, sources said. The 39-year-old’s prolonged dip in form, with scores of 11 and 26, has inevitably intensified internal conversations about succession.
Having retired from T20Is after 2024 World Cup triumph and stepping away from Test cricket last year, Rohit now features only in the ODI format, making every series significantly more consequential.
Those familiar with the discussions insist that no final call has been taken yet, and much will depend on how Rohit responds over the coming months. “But with the management keen to avoid another last-minute transition before a global tournament, there is a growing belief that this is the right phase to widen the pool of options rather than remain dependent on established names,” a source stated.
However, a final decision needs to be taken by the BCCI and the player in the question.
Jaiswal, who has been viewed as a long-term all-format prospect, remains one of the strongest contenders to partner Shubman Gill at the top if the team decides to move in a younger direction.
The coming ODI assignments could therefore be as much about evaluating the future as they are about winning series, with the road to the 2027 World Cup already influencing selection thinking behind the scenes.
India will play it’s last ODI of the series at Lord’s on Sunday.
Published on Jul 16, 2026
