As India kicked off its New Zealand tour, the veteran opener is eager to maintain his momentum and cement his path toward the 2027 World Cup.

Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma once again showcased his characteristic humour during a recent appearance on the television game show Family Full House with Rohit Sharma. Faced with a light-hearted hypothetical emergency and asked whether he would contact ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill or T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer for help, the veteran opener delivered a witty response that delighted fans while acknowledging the changing guard in Indian cricket.
Rather than making a single selection, Rohit navigated the question by pointing to the current captaincy roles held by the two younger players. His humorous justification playfully highlighted a strategic approach to managing team dynamics alongside his future career ambitions across different formats.
Balancing Ambitions for the 2027 World Cup and T20Is
Answering the hypothetical query with laughter, Rohit explained why he needs to stay on the good side of both Gill and Iyer. "Both are captains of India right now," Rohit quipped on the show. "Gill is my captain right now, and I want to play the 2027 World Cup, so I need to keep him happy. After the 2027 WC, if I want to make a comeback in T20Is, I need to keep Shreyas happy. So, I need both of them."
The clever remark playfully acknowledged India's split-captaincy setup. Having retired from shortest-format international cricket following India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, Rohit’s light-hearted comment about a potential T20I comeback was delivered in jest, while reinforcing his target of playing through to the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.
Fine Form Heading into the New Zealand Tour
Beyond the viral television moments, Rohit continues to demonstrate immense hard work and elite production on the field. During the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, the veteran opener finished as India's second-highest run-scorer, accumulating 225 runs, a haul highlighted by a century and a fluent 92.
With Team India embarking on their tour of New Zealand, which opened with a five-match T20I series before moving to a five-match ODI leg, Rohit will be eager to maintain his red-hot momentum. Alongside fellow veteran Virat Kohli, expectations are high that the senior batter will deliver stellar performances during the ODI fixtures, further solidifying his build-up toward the 2027 World Cup campaign.
Published: 27 Oct 2026, 12:34 pm IST
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