Ranchi, Nov 28 (NationPress) - The bowling coach of India, Morne Morkel, has expressed confidence in the possibility of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli participating in the 2027 ODI World Cup. He highlighted that the experience of this veteran duo in clinching trophies and managing pressure during significant tournaments will be crucial.

Despite India facing a setback in the ODI series against Australia last month, Rohit was honored as the Player of the Series after achieving a half-century in Adelaide and a century in Sydney. Meanwhile, Kohli initially struggled with back-to-back ducks but bounced back with a commendable unbeaten 74 in Sydney. Fans can catch the duo in action as India prepares to face South Africa at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi this upcoming Sunday.

“Without a doubt, they are top-quality players. As long as they are committed to training hard and maintaining their fitness, I firmly believe in the value of experience, which is rare. They know how to perform in high-stakes tournaments,” stated Morkel at the pre-series press briefing.

“If they feel mentally and physically capable, there’s still a considerable time before the World Cup. Having faced them in numerous matches, I understand the preparation required to bowl against them. I fully support their potential participation,” Morkel added.

Morkel also suggested that a shift in format could benefit India, especially after their recent 2-0 Test series defeat to the Proteas. “It’s been a challenging couple of weeks, but we've taken time to reflect. Our focus now should be on investing all our energy into the white-ball format,” he noted.

“We’ve been playing commendable white-ball cricket. With fresh energy entering the squad alongside Rohit and Kohli’s return, we are eagerly anticipating the upcoming weeks in white-ball cricket,” he continued.

In the match against South Africa, India will be missing their newly appointed captain Shubman Gill due to a neck injury, while vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is still recovering from a spleen injury that required hospitalization in Sydney. Morkel confirmed both players are making good progress with their recovery.

“The medical staff will provide the best insights. I checked in with Shubman two days ago, and he’s recovering satisfactorily, which is good news. Shreyas has also begun his rehabilitation, which is encouraging,” Morkel stated.

“We’re looking forward to their return to the squad. The positive aspect is that they are healthy and preparing to rejoin the team,” Morkel concluded.