-1791883954437_v.webp)
BCCI president Mithun Manhas believes a player’s age should not be a factor in selection for the Indian cricket team. He said fitness and performance should remain the main criteria for picking players, as discussions continue over Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s places in India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Speaking to Sportstar, Manhas made it clear that team selection is the responsibility of the selectors and coaches. However, he shared his view that players should be judged on what they bring to the team rather than how old they are.
“As far as the BCCI is concerned, we are not in a position to comment because it all depends on the selectors and the coaches. But from how I look at it, fitness and performance should be the criteria for selection, and definitely not age,” Manhas told Sportstar.
“If somebody is fit to play, and you see him performing and winning games for the country, that is the only criterion we should focus on,” he added.
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma’s Places In Focus Ahead Of 2027 World Cup
With the 2027 ODI World Cup still some time away, discussions have already started about India’s squad for the tournament. Much of the attention is on Kohli and Rohit, who remain two of the team’s most experienced batters.
Both players are in their late 30s, and the emergence of younger players has raised questions about how long they will continue in India’s ODI setup.
Kohli is one of the consistent performers in ODIs and on the other hand, Rohit has also shown that he can still make important contributions. However, injuries have been a concern for the former India captain in recent times.
Their places in the 2027 World Cup squad will ultimately depend on their performances, fitness and the selectors’ plans as the tournament approaches.
India’s Transition Across Formats
The Indian team has already seen several changes across formats in recent years. During Ajit Agarkar’s tenure as chief selector, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket and T20Is, while Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin also brought their India careers to an end. Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20Is as well.
The selectors have also continued to assess India’s options in ODI cricket. Mohammed Shami, who played a key role in India’s run to the 2023 ODI World Cup final, has found himself further down the pecking order, despite strong performances in domestic cricket.
At the same time, younger fast bowlers, including Harshit Rana and Gurnoor Brar, have been given opportunities as India look to build depth ahead of future tournaments.
Mithun Manhas Explains How Experienced Players Can Help Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill was appointed India’s ODI captain in October 2025, with the 2027 World Cup forming an important part of the team’s long-term plans. The tournament could be his first major international assignment as captain at a senior global event.
Manhas believes the presence of experienced players such as Kohli and Rohit could help Gill manage the team and handle the demands of a major tournament.
He also pointed to Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah as players who could take responsibility in different areas of the team.
“Having Virat, Hardik (Pandya) and Rohit in the side will definitely help him (Gill). Then there are the likes of (Jasprit) Bumrah, who could lead, who can be the bowling captains, and then somebody who will be the fielding captain. So, it is all about the distribution of workload,” Manhas said.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon, India will have to balance the experience of its senior players with the opportunities available to the next generation. As Manhas indicated, age alone should not settle that debate; performances and fitness will remain central to the selection process.
