Rohit Sharma relies on Abhishek Nayar to prolong ODI career till 2027 World Cup; Test future to be decided after IPL

Rohit Sharma's first task after lifting the Champions Trophy was to put an end to the retirement speculations, which had been part of the outside noise even before the team arrived in Dubai for the ICC tournament. "One more thing. I'm not going to retire from this format, just to make sure that no rumours are spread moving forward," he said. The 37-year-old did not put a definite time limit on his career but did keep his options open for the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, a fresh report revealed that Rohit has already set his eyes on that 50-over event in South Africa, with India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar emerging as the central figure behind his plan. India's captain Rohit Sharma poses for a picture with the Champions Trophy in Dubai(ICC- X)

According to a report in Cricbuzz, Rohit wants to stretch his ODI career until the 2027 World Cup, hoping to add a third ICC title to his illustrious captaincy resume and eventually draw curtains on his white-ball career. He retired from T20Is in June last year after leading India to a T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados.

Sources also confirmed the website that Rohit has "devised a plan to remain fit and competitive for the African event." The central figure of his plan will be his former Mumbai teammate, Nayar, who is expected to help him “focus on his fitness, batting, and approach.”

"A key part of his plans is likely to be Nayar, who is regarded as a highly intelligent coach with modern techniques and styles. Many players in the Indian team, including KL Rahul, have either worked with him or are currently working with him. In fact, Rahul has credited Nayar on more than one occasion about the guidance he got from Nayar and continues to work with him. Rohit will team up with his former Mumbai teammate as part of his preparation," the report read.

What about Rohit's Test future?

Unlike in ODIs, his Test cricket performances haven't been impressive lately, which, in fact, saw him drop himself from the playing XI for the Sydney Test against Australia earlier in January. After a few weeks, he made a failed return to the Ranji Trophy, sparking speculations about his future in the traditional format.

The report added that although Rohit intends to remain active in Test cricket, his future would depend on the impending IPL season. The tournament will be followed by India's tour of England for a five-Test series in June, and the selectors have yet to take a call on the India captain. When asked about the possibility of his selection for the series, a well-placed source said, "Let the IPL be over first. Only an astrologer thinks so far ahead into the future."

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