Rohit-Virat staying gives India 90% World Cup chance: Raina
Synopsis
Suresh Raina has put a precise number on India's 2027 World Cup odds — 90% — but only if Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stay. With a thinning ODI calendar, a leadership reshuffle underway (Shubman Gill captaining the West Indies series), and Yuvraj Singh also calling for consistency, the cricketing establishment is sending a clear message: don't tinker your way to a World Cup exit.
Key Takeaways
Suresh Raina says India has a 90% chance of winning the 2027 ODI World Cup if Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remain in the team.
The World Cup will be hosted in South Africa , Zimbabwe , and Namibia .
Raina invoked India's 2003 World Cup final defeat in South Africa as extra motivation for the 2027 campaign.
Yuvraj Singh separately called for a settled ODI group and maximum game time ahead of the tournament.
Both Rohit and Kohli are named in India's 15-member ODI squad for the upcoming West Indies home series, with Shubman Gill as captain.
The three-match series begins in Thiruvananthapuram on 27 September .
Former India cricketer Suresh Raina has said that India will carry a 90 per cent chance of winning the 2027 ODI World Cup if veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remain in the squad for the tournament to be hosted across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Raina made the remarks on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi on 22 September 2026.
What Raina Said
'Absolutely, I think we have the gun player; we have a gun machine at home. We have the best captains who won a lot of trophies in IPL as well as for the country, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli,' Raina told reporters. 'Virat wants it. I think this time we are playing the World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe. I think if both of them stay, there is a 90% chance of winning the World Cup,' he added.
Raina also drew on India's painful memory of the 2003 World Cup, when the team lost the final in South Africa, saying the upcoming edition would carry added emotional weight. 'Especially when we lost in South Africa in 2003, we have to take revenge for that as well,' he said.
Yuvraj's Call for Stability
Raina's endorsement of continuity echoed a similar call made earlier by former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who urged the team management to maintain a settled group and avoid last-minute changes ahead of the World Cup. 'They need to focus on building the same team to play in a year's time, because you don't want to make big changes at the last moment,' Yuvraj said in an interview. He added that with the current heavy T20 calendar leaving limited 50-over fixtures, every available ODI must be used to build match readiness across the squad — 'whether they are 16 or 20' players deep.
Rohit and Kohli Named in ODI Squad
Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been included in India's 15-member ODI squad for the upcoming three-match home series against the West Indies. Shubman Gill is set to captain the side, with KL Rahul named vice-captain. The series opens in Thiruvananthapuram on 27 September, with the second ODI in Guwahati on 30 September and the third in Chandigarh on 3 October.
Shrinking ODI Calendar Adds Urgency
With Shreyas Iyer set to feature in India's Asian Games campaign rather than the West Indies series, the selection picture ahead of the World Cup remains in flux. Notably, the thinning ODI schedule between now and the tournament amplifies the significance of every series in the build-up. How India manages the transition from its T20-heavy rotation to a settled 50-over unit is likely to dominate selection conversations over the next 12 months.
Point of View
Not a statistic — but sentiment shapes selection pressure, and that is the real story here. Both he and Yuvraj are pushing the same message from outside the dressing room: don't disrupt the core. What neither addressed is the structural tension at the heart of India's ODI planning — Shubman Gill is now captaining the side, yet Rohit is still in the squad. How that hierarchy resolves itself over the next 12 months will matter far more to India's World Cup prospects than veteran nostalgia. With fewer than a handful of ODI series between now and March 2027, India has little room to experiment and equally little room to get the transition wrong.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Suresh Raina say about India's 2027 ODI World Cup chances?
Raina said India has a 90 per cent chance of winning the 2027 ODI World Cup if Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both remain in the squad. He made the remarks at an event in New Delhi on 22 September 2026.
Where will the 2027 ODI World Cup be held?
The 2027 ODI World Cup will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
What did Yuvraj Singh say about India's ODI preparation?
Yuvraj Singh urged the team management to build a settled group and avoid major changes ahead of the World Cup. He stressed that all squad members need enough ODI game time, particularly given the limited number of 50-over fixtures before the tournament.
Who is captaining India for the West Indies ODI series?
Shubman Gill has been named captain for India's three-match home ODI series against the West Indies, with KL Rahul as vice-captain. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are part of the 15-member squad.
When does India's ODI series against West Indies begin?
The series begins in Thiruvananthapuram on 27 September 2026, followed by matches in Guwahati on 30 September and Chandigarh on 3 October.
