New Delhi, Aug 11 (NationPress) Dinesh Lad, who coached Rohit Sharma during his formative years, believes that the seasoned opener is a strong candidate for participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup, which is set to take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in October and November 2027.

Rohit, who led the Indian team to victory in the Champions Trophy earlier this year, confirmed his retirement from Test cricket in May prior to the tour of England. The 38-year-old cricketer had previously announced his exit from T20I cricket following India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup in Barbados last year.

With the next ODI World Cup still over two years away and limited 50-over matches scheduled for India in the near future, speculation has arisen regarding Rohit's future in the ODI arena.

Lad emphasized Rohit’s absence from the 2011 ODI World Cup and claimed that the right-handed batsman still possesses the hunger and determination to make significant contributions to the national team.

“Rohit Sharma should undoubtedly be part of the 2027 ODI World Cup. Winning the trophy has always been his aspiration, and he missed the chance to be on the victorious 2011 team,” Lad stated while speaking to IANS.

Nevertheless, Lad expressed uncertainty about Rohit's future as a leader but firmly supported his selection for the upcoming ODI World Cup. “Whether he captains the team will be decided by the BCCI and selectors, but he certainly has the hunger and determination to be included in the 2027 World Cup squad,” he added.

In his career, Rohit has played 273 ODIs, scoring an impressive 11,168 runs with an average of 48.76, which includes 32 centuries and 58 fifties. He is notably the only player to have achieved three double centuries in ODIs.

Earlier this month, Rohit was seen at The Oval to witness the fifth and final Test against England, which India won by six runs, thus leveling the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2.

In Test cricket, Rohit has accumulated 4,301 runs from 67 matches with an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties. He has captained India in 24 Test matches, winning 12 and losing nine.

As an opener in Tests, Rohit has an impressive average of 42.81 over 66 innings, hitting nine centuries and eight fifties. He also led India to the finals of the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC), where they finished as runners-up against Australia at The Oval.