"Lot of things to learn from experienced players": Jayasuriya backs Rohit-Virat to play 2027 ODI World Cup

By Vivek Prabhakar Singh
Gurugram (Haryana), [India], September 20 (ANI): Former Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya backed India's ODI-exclusive stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying that the youngsters will get to learn a lot from them and that having them in the mix would be good for the World Cup squad.
Sanath, one of the finest all-rounders of all time and a highly destructive batter of his era, was speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the Corporate Cricket World Cup launch event in Gurugram. Both Rohit and Virat, aged 39 and 37 respectively, are ODI-exclusive legends following their Test retirement in May last year. They had also retired from T20Is after India's T20 World Cup 2024 title-winning campaign. 
The lack of ODI cricket on the calendar and these two legends being exclusive to that format has opened up debates about their future and availability for the 2027 World Cup. To these debates, Jayasuriya said to ANI, "They (Team India) have both youth and experience and are a mixed team. There are a lot of things to learn from experienced players for the youngsters. So I think that is a good thing when you have senior players in the team. Youngsters will learn from them, it is a good mix for future World Cups for India."
Rohit has been a part of three World Cups from 2015 to 2023 and has been a standout performer in each of the tournaments, ending as the leading run-getter in the 2019 edition in the UK with 648 runs in nine games, including five centuries and a fifty.
Overall, he is the fourth-highest run-getter with 1,575 runs in 28 matches and innings at an average of 60.57, including seven centuries (the most by a batter in WC history) and six fifties.
In ODIs, Rohit is India's third-highest run-getter and century-scorer, with 11,895 runs in 288 matches and 280 innings at an average of 48.95, including 34 centuries and 62 fifties. 
Virat is the second-highest run-getter in WC history with 1,795 runs in 37 matches and innings at an average of 59.83, including five centuries and 12 fifties.
With 14,941 runs in 314 ODIs and 302 innings at an average of 58.59 and 54 centuries, 79 fifties, Virat is one of the finest and perhaps the finest ever ODI batter.
He has an incredible record in successful run-chases, having made 6,235 runs in 111 matches and 105 innings at an average of 89.07, including 24 centuries and 29 fifties.
This year in ODIs, Virat has 384 runs in six innings at an average of 64.00 and a strike rate of over 106, with a century and three fifties. Rohit has had some ups and downs, with 379 runs in nine innings at an average of 42.11 and a strike rate of over 99, including a ton and fifty, with best score of 138 against England at Lord's. (ANI)