Rohit Sharma Targets 2027 World Cup as ODI “Unfinished Business”

Rohit Sharma has made his intentions clear about continuing his ODI career, revealing that he is already looking ahead to the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup despite ongoing speculation over his future in the format.

The veteran India batter said he does not view his international career as complete and remains motivated by the prospect of competing at another World Cup.

Rohit Sharma looking ahead to 2027 World Cup

Speaking to JioStar ahead of India's three-match ODI series against the West Indies, Rohit said there would always be something to strive for as long as he continues playing.

"The thought will never cross my mind that the business I had is finished. As long as you're playing, there is always something to look forward to. And I'm looking forward to the World Cup, looking at what lies ahead for me," Rohit said.

The 39-year-old has stepped away from Test and T20I cricket but remains part of India's ODI setup. His comments offer a clear indication of his desire to continue in the 50-over format with the 2027 World Cup on the horizon.

Rohit also highlighted the distinct challenge of playing an ICC tournament, pointing to the need to adapt to different opponents and venues.

"When the World Cup is played, when we play an ICC tournament, it has its own unique challenge, because you face different opponents, you play at different venues. So, you have to prepare differently, think in a different way and that is the challenge," he said.

Rohit Sharma's unfinished ODI World Cup journey

Rohit has enjoyed considerable success in T20I cricket, winning the World Cup with India in 2007 and 2024. However, an ODI World Cup title remains absent from his international résumé.

He led India at the 2023 ODI World Cup, where the team reached the final unbeaten before losing to Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The 2027 World Cup, scheduled to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 4 to November 21, could therefore provide Rohit with another opportunity to compete for the trophy.

Rohit Sharma closing in on 12,000 ODI runs

Rohit has scored 11,895 runs in 288 ODIs, including 34 centuries and 62 fifties, at an average of 48.95 and a strike rate of 93.

He is currently India's third-highest run-scorer in men's ODIs and needs 105 more runs to become only the third Indian batter to reach the 12,000-run landmark after Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

Rohit is also 135 runs away from becoming only the fourth opener overall to score 10,000 ODI runs. He has accumulated 9,865 runs in 201 matches and 199 innings as an opener, with an average of 54.50.

Tendulkar currently leads the list, while Rohit would become the second Indian opener to reach the milestone.

The India batter also holds the record for the highest individual score in men's ODI cricket, having smashed 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014. He remains the only batter to have registered three double-centuries in the format.

India begin 2027 World Cup preparations against West Indies

India's preparations for the 2027 World Cup begin with a three-match ODI series against the West Indies, starting in Thiruvananthapuram on September 26.

The second ODI will be played in Guwahati on September 30, with the third match scheduled for October 3 in New Chandigarh.

India are also scheduled to play five ODIs in New Zealand and three against Sri Lanka later this year, before facing Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series at the start of 2027.

Rohit enters the West Indies series having scored 379 ODI runs in nine matches this year at an average of 42.11 and a strike rate of 99.21. His recent performances include a century and a half-century, with his latest innings being a 138 against England at Lord's.

With 2027 now firmly in his sights, Rohit's immediate focus will be on translating that stated ambition into performances as India begin building towards another World Cup campaign.