Perth warning: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer show cracks ahead of India’s 2027 ODI plans | Cricket News

Lack of proper match practice for India’s star batters Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer could hurt India’s ODI plans ahead of the 2027 World Cup. The recent Perth ODI against Australia was a small warning sign.Kohli, Rohit and Iyer form India’s top four, but all three currently play only one format. Rohit and Virat have retired from T20Is and Tests, while Shreyas Iyer, who took a six-month break from red-ball cricket, is not part of India’s T20I setup for the upcoming World Cup in February next year.

The Indian cricket team was scheduled to play 27 ODIs according to the ICC’s Future Tours Program (FTP) 2023-2027. The three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, scheduled for August, was postponed, and the first ODI in Perth was not a promising start to India’s quest for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Rohit, Virat and Shreyas lasted just 46 balls between them, managing just 19 runs.Rohit and Virat were playing a competitive match after five months apart and looked rusty. Meanwhile, Shreyas, who played for India A and in the Duleep Trophy, once again had his technical flaws exposed. Six-foot-six Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc have a high starting point of almost 2.15 meters (nearly 7.05 feet). No matter the length of the game, the duo generated extra bounce, with almost every ball hitting the top half of the bat. Perth was a bouncy track, and India’s top spot seemed out at sea.

Rohit Sharma scored 8 in the first ODI against Australia in Perth. (Screenshot)

The ball that dismissed Rohit Sharma was not particularly short, but it rose sharply to armpit height outside off stump, hitting the top of Rohit’s bat. He could have left him alone, but he ended up pushing him. The unexpected rebound surprised him; Yet it wasn’t down to the pitch – it was Hazlewood’s skill that gave it its spice.

Virat Kohli fell for a duck against Australia in the first ODI played in Perth. (Screenshot)

Virat Kohli, who registered his first duck on Australian soil, was also troubled by the length. Starc and Hazlewood had also troubled Kohli in the past. In 10 ODI innings, Hazlewood had dismissed Kohli five times – averaging a wicket every two innings. But it was Hazlewood’s new partner Starc who dismissed Kohli. Kohli attempted a powerful shot, driving the ball away from his body, and Cooper Connolly, patrolling behind, took a spectacular catch. It was a shot born out of desperation to get the most out of it, which has rarely been seen from Kohli in a format where he is an undisputed king.

Shreyas Iyer departed while trying to fend off a delivery from Josh Hazlewood. He scored 11 runs against Australia in the first ODI. (Screenshot)

Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer’s struggles against short balls are well documented. The newly appointed ODI vice-captain had been prolific in the last two ICC 50-over tournaments. In the Champions Trophy earlier this year, he was India’s top run-getter with 243 runs in five innings. Iyer had made 530 runs in the 2023 ODI World Cup. He played a pivotal role in India’s success in both tournaments, but in Perth, Hazlewood once again exposed a chink in Shreyas’ armor. The relentless Hazlewood denied Shreyas any width, hitting the deck hard and creating an angle of good length, which had Shreyas tangled. As he tried to adjust and negate the extra bounce, coming up around his ribs, the ball ended up grazing his gloves.Watch: Cooper Connolly takes a blinder as Virat Kohli goes for the duckThese three dismissals have raised eyebrows as the next World Cup will be held in South Africa, where the pitches will be bouncy. India will play only two ODI series away to tackle the bounce factor: the ongoing three-match series against world champions Australia and another against England in July 2026. However, the spice of England’s pitches has diminished as it does not suit their ‘Bazball’ approach.Is playing IPL enough?

In Shreyas’ case, he plays for India A and, after taking a four-day break from cricket, is likely to be available for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. But the big question is whether the two senior stars, Kohli and Rohit, will play 50-over domestic tournaments to stay match-ready. No matter how hard they train in the nets; Having played enough cricket, they know that nothing can replace real-life match scenarios.Since Rohit and Virat now play only one format, their rust was visible from the first outing. Playing only the IPL will not guarantee them a place in the Indian squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. If they want to continue their shattered dream of November 19 and win the trophy in South Africa, they need to play domestic cricket to stay fit. If they choose not to do so, they are doing a disservice to Indian cricket and their own reputation.After India’s Test series win against the West Indies in New Delhi, coach Gautam Gambhir was asked, “Are Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli still part of India’s plans for the 2027 World Cup?”Gambhir said: “Look, the 50-over World Cup is still two and a half years away, and it is very important to stay in the present. They are obviously quality players; their experience will also be invaluable in Australia. Hopefully these two will have a successful tour and, more importantly, the team will have a successful series.Gambhir may have dodged the big question, but he knows time is running out. If he and Shubman Gill want India to take a step forward in 2027, they will need their aging superstars ready for the game. Otherwise, India needs to bring in talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Verma, giving them limited matches to prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup.