Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Performance, not age, should decide Rohit-Kohli World Cup fate: Harbhajan
Harbhajan Singh is a famous cricket player from India who used to spin the ball for the national team.
He said two older players, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, should still play in the big Cricket World Cup next year.
Some people say the two are getting too old, but Harbhajan thinks age does not matter.
He says what matters is how well a player performs and how fit they stay.
He used football star Lionel Messi as an example, because Messi was 39 and still played amazingly in the recent football World Cup.
Rohit will be 40 and Virat will be 39 when the cricket World Cup happens.
That tournament will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Harbhajan also said Virat Kohli helped make the Indian team very fit and gave him lots of credit for that.
He wants the coach, Gautam Gambhir, to trust the experience of Rohit and Virat.
Harbhajan also shared that the book about his own life is ready and will come out later this year.
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh backed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying performance, not age, should be the selection marker.
He cited 39-year-old Lionel Messi's display at the recent football World Cup as proof that veteran players can still excel.
Rohit will turn 40 and Kohli will be 39 when the World Cup is played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Harbhajan credited Virat Kohli with 90 per cent of the credit for creating India's fitness revolution and winning mindset.
He advised head coach Gautam Gambhir to trust the duo's experience of around 300 games and revealed his autobiography is due for release later this year.
- Who
- Harbhajan Singh, former India off-spinner, speaking about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
- What
- Backed Rohit and Kohli to play the 2027 ODI World Cup, arguing that performance and fitness matter more than age.
- When
- Interview published on August 13; the ODI World Cup takes place next year (2027).
- Where
- PTI headquarters in New Delhi; the World Cup will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
- Why
- He believes skill and fitness should trump age, citing 39-year-old Lionel Messi's brilliance at the recent football World Cup.
Performance-based selection
Age and youth-focused selection
Age as a selection criterion
Performance-based selection
Harbhajan argues that performance and fitness, not age, should decide selection, pointing to Messi's brilliance at 39.
Age and youth-focused selection
Critics see Rohit and Kohli as one-format players on the wrong side of their 30s who should make way for younger talent.
Experience versus fresh talent
Performance-based selection
The veterans bring the experience of around 300 international games and are better equipped to handle World Cup expectations.
Age and youth-focused selection
An exciting but relatively untested youngster like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi can walk in and blast bowlers, bringing fresh energy to the side.
- Speaker
- Harbhajan Singh, former India off-spinner
- Players backed
- Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
- Ages at 2027 ODI World Cup
- Rohit 40, Virat 39
- World Cup hosts
- South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia
- Example cited
- 39-year-old Lionel Messi led Argentina to the football World Cup final
- Fitness credit to Kohli
- 90 per cent of the fitness revolution
- Harbhajan's career wickets
- 416 Test and 269 ODI wickets
- Harbhajan's retirement
- Officially retired in December 2021; autobiography expected later this year