Irfan Pathan urges Rohit, Kohli to stay match-ready with domestic cricket

India will begin their 2026 season with a home white-ball series against New Zealand, starting with a three-match ODI contest that marks the return of senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in national colours.

As the team gradually turns its attention towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has called on the experienced duo to stay actively engaged in domestic cricket whenever they are not part of international assignments.

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Speaking on JioStar, Pathan highlighted the importance of consistent match exposure for Rohit and Kohli, especially at a stage where both feature primarily in the 50-over format. He stressed that sustained playing time will be crucial as India build momentum towards the next World Cup cycle.

“You definitely want to think about the ICC 2027 ODI World Cup. It is far away, but I just want to see both Rohit and Kohli playing for the longest time, for India and when not playing international cricket, in domestic cricket. They are playing just one format and nothing else, so the more they play, the better it is,” Pathan said.

Pathan also touched upon the expanding leadership responsibilities shouldered by Shubman Gill, who has emerged as a key figure in India’s Test and ODI setups. He acknowledged that captaining the national side at a relatively young age brings added pressure, but felt that such challenges are part of the natural progression of a top-level cricketer.

Recalling advice he received early in his own career, Pathan said, “When I was picked for the first time, at 19 years of age, the great Rahul Dravid said, ‘Irfan, it’s good that you have reached this level, but things will only get difficult from here on.’ Upon asking him, What should I do if things do get difficult? He replied, ‘You will get used to handling it…’ and the same will happen with Shubman Gill.”

Pathan pointed to Gill’s recent growth, particularly during the tour of England, as a sign of his increasing authority within the side. “One good thing that happened on the England tour for Shubman was that his Test average improved, and his authority over the team also increased. Now he also has the responsibility in ODIs and it is a huge opportunity for him to grow,” he added.

Addressing the inevitable comparisons between Gill and Kohli, Pathan said such scrutiny comes with exceptional talent and the legacy of past greats. He expressed confidence that Gill has the skill set to meet the high expectations placed on him.

“He is immensely talented, there is no question about that, and comparisons are inevitable. Virat Kohli was constantly compared to Sachin Tendulkar and was expected to perform at that level. Now that Kohli has reached those heights, Gill is being compared to him. There’s expectations that he must match those standards and score close to 25,000–30,000 runs and he certainly has the ability to do so,” Pathan said.