‘Game will go away from them…’: Ganguly on Virat and Rohit playing in 2027 WC

Former Team India captain Sourav Ganguly stated that it won`t be easy for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to stay fit and find a place in the ODI World Cup 2027 squad.

Speaking about the duo, Ganguly in a lengthy interview with PTI said, “All of us must understand, just like everyone, the game will go away from them and they will go away from the game”.

The next ODI World Cup is scheduled in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia after two years, when Kohli will turn 38 years old while Sharma will touch 40.

When asked if he has any advice for the two of India`s batting mainstays, Sourav Ganguly said, “I have got no advice. I think they know the game as much I do. They will take a call”.

The 52-year-old also stated that finding a player of Kohli`s calibre will not be easy. However, he is not worried about the future of Indian cricket following the retirement of the two stalwarts.

“I was not concerned at all. Virat is a class player. Finding his replacement will take time. But the rest, I wasn`t surprised,” said the veteran of 311 ODI matches.

Saurav Ganguly also made a special mention of Yuvraj Singh, calling him a “special player”. He recollected the memories when he saw Singh for the first time.

“I remember seeing Yuvraj for the first time in Nairobi and saw that he is special. What he went on to do for India after that in one-day cricket is unreal. He was 2007 World T20 player of the series, the 2011 World Cup player of the series, runs, wickets fielding, he was special,” the former Indian captain said.

Further, Ganguly also opened up on his playing days with Team India`s current head coach, Gautam Gambhir.  He said Gambhir had a lot of respect for him and his seniors.

“I`ve played with him. He was a great guy with a lot of respect for me and the senior players. Even now, I can see he is extremely passionate about his job,” said Ganguly.

Speaking about Gambhir`s stint so far as the head coach of Team India, Ganguly said he should be given time to grow and learn.

“I wish him all the best. He`s just a year into the job, and this will be an important (England) tour. He struggled a bit in Australia, but just like everyone else, he`ll learn, he`ll grow, and he`ll become better,” concluded the Calcutta-born.

(With PTI Inputs)

This article first appeared on Mid Day