England may have finished the ODI series with a win, but former South Africa captain AB de Villiers believes the result does not change the bigger picture for India. He feels Rohit Sharma will still have an important role to play in India’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup, even though the opener has had his share of inconsistent performances.

AB de Villers on Rohit, Virat's outing vs England

After England swept the T20I series and then won the ODI series 2-1, de Villiers said the presence of experienced players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made a clear difference to the Indian side.

AB de Villers on Rohit Sharma's consistency

Rohit had a quiet start to the ODI series, scoring 11 and 26 in the first two matches. But he bounced back in style in the third ODI at Lord’s with a superb 138 off 110 balls. India were chasing a huge target of 388 and eventually lost by 27 runs, but Rohit’s innings, along with Virat Kohli’s 74, kept the chase alive for a long time.

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While praising Rohit, de Villiers admitted that consistency has not always been his biggest strength.

Why India need Rohit, Virat in ODI World Cup 2027?

De Villiers believes Rohit’s experience will be extremely valuable for India at the 2027 ODI World Cup. According to him, players like Rohit and Kohli bring something that cannot be replaced.

Rohit has already retired from T20Is and Test cricket, and his focus is now only on ODIs, with the 2027 World Cup being his main goal.

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De Villiers said India’s experienced players will be vital when the pressure is at its highest.