Follow UsShubman Gill was handed over the reins of India's One-Day International ODI) captaincy ahead of the Australia series with one eye on the 2027 World Cup. It was believed that he would have enough time to acclimatise before the mega event.
While Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma continue to be part of the ODI team, former South Africa captain and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) legend AB de Villiers believes that they are not guaranteed a place for the showpiece event.
"It's not a guarantee both of them will be there for that next World Cup. That's maybe part of the thinking when they made Shubman Gill the ODI captain. He has a good chance of being there, young gun, in incredible form and a fantastic leader," de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
However, de Villiers, who led the Proteas in the 2015 World Cup, feels that it was the right move taken by the selectors.
"I think this was the right move, to still have Rohit and Virat. Shubman Gill will learn from two of the most experienced Indian players of all time, high-quality, legendary players. It will be fantastic for Shubman to have them around," de Villiers, who has played many seasons with Kohli at RCB, said.
"I think the reason they [Rohit and Kohli] are hanging on is to play another World Cup for Team India. Whether it's going to happen, I don't know. It will take a lot from them to be there in 2027.
"There's lots of cricket to be played and form to be kept. They've got to score runs and that should be the message from the selectors.
"The kind of competition Team India has these days and the quality, these two know they have to go out and score runs. It would be a great asset for Team India in the World Cup to have them there. But the priority is to score runs."
Kohli and Rohit have not played competitive cricket since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Having retired from Tests and T20 Internationals (T20I), the last time the duo played for India was in the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in March. They will be in action next in the three-match ODI series against Australia, starting October 19.