Former Sri Lankan legend analyses Rohit Sharma’s odds for next ODI World Cup

Despite widespread speculation among fans that Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma might announce his retirement from international cricket following the conclusion of the ODI World Cup 2023, no such announcement has been made, and it appears unlikely that he is ready to retire.

However, there are reports suggesting that Rohit may step back from the shortest format of the game, with the management reportedly considering star all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the next T20I captain. Meanwhile, former Sri Lankan legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan recently commented on Rohit’s future, expressing confidence that he will participate in another ODI World Cup. Muralitharan highlighted Rohit’s consistent performance in the ODI World Cup 2023 and suggested that if he maintains the same determination as Virat Kohli, he is likely to feature in future editions as well.

“You look at his ODI World Cup performance. The starts he gave, the kind of strike rates he batted at. He never failed in the tournament. And he’s only 36, that’s young. He can play another World Cup if he pushes his fitness like Virat. Rohit batted with a strike rate of 130 in ODIs, which is not bad for T20. He’s an experienced player. You just have to work harder on your fitness after 35. If the desire is there, he’ll play. I think he’ll definitely play another World Cup. It’s on his mind.” Muralitharan was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda.

Hardik Pandya likely to be traded to Mumbai Indians

Meanwhile, in a surprising twist, there are emerging reports suggesting that Hardik might be parting ways with the Gujarat Titans (GT) and making a return to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the upcoming edition. This development has sparked speculation that Rohit could be contemplating retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL), with the captaincy potentially passing on to Hardik. However, it’s important to note that these are mere assumptions and speculations, as no official announcement has been made.

If these reports turn out to be accurate, it could imply that Rohit is gearing up to focus exclusively on the ODI and Test formats. Such a decision could be beneficial for both Rohit and the team. The Indian Cricket Board has been actively working towards building a youthful T20I team, especially with the T20 World Cup scheduled for 2024.