Rohit and Virat have one motto to play in 2027 World Cup: Former India cricketer Madan Lal

Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 18 (ANI): Madan Lal, a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, believes batting bigwigs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have just one motto to play in the 2027 World Cup.

The highly anticipated series opener against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday will mark the return of Virat and Rohit in ODIs for the first time since lifting the Champions Trophy on March 9 in Dubai. Virat and Rohit were expected to compete across the five Tests in England in June, but bid adieu to the format more than a month ago.

After the Champions Trophy final, Virat and Rohit have competed in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which concluded in June and since then have been out of action for months. During the announcement of the squad, chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed the selectors' decision to move on from Rohit's captaincy and passed down the baton to Shubman Gill.

Madan, who expects the three-match affair to be a thrilling one, hopes Rohit and Virat will deliver the goods on the field and continue towards their motto of competing in the 2027 showpiece event.

"It's going to be a very good series. I think, you know, like both teams are very, very good. Recently, India's record in 50-over cricket is very good. All the big players go for the performance, not for the captaincy. It's okay, he (Rohit) was the captain. He has led. He has given good results. But now he has only one motto in front of him: to play the 2027 World Cup. It is for both Virat and Rohit. So, I hope they perform well. And their fitness level is good," Madan Lal told ANI.

India hasn't played an ODI since the Champions Trophy final. They recently swept the home Test series 2-0 against the West Indies, raising concerns about whether India would be able to adapt to the demands of the 50-over fixture. Madan brushed away the fears and stated that adapting to the format would not be a cause for concern for the skilled Indian team.

"No, see, their preparation is always there. They play 50 overs, 20 overs, and Test matches. A big player adapts quickly to the conditions. He knows how to manage 50 overs. This international team adapts quickly. So, there is nothing to worry about adapting to 50 overs," he added. (ANI)

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