Will Rohit Sharma return to T20Is after 2027 World Cup?
What's the story
Rohit Sharma has hinted at a possible return to T20 Internationals (T20Is) after the 2027 World Cup. The revelation came during an interaction with television actor Shehzada Dhami on his show 'Family Full House with Rohit Sharma.' When asked whom he would call in an emergency between Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, both current Indian captains in different formats, Rohit humorously said he had to keep them happy.
Humorous hint
What did Rohit say?
Rohit said, "Oh my. Both are captains of India currently. Gill is currently my captain. I have to play in the '27 World Cup. I have to keep him happy."
He then added, "After '27, need to make a comeback in T20, so have to keep Shreyas happy as well."
While the second part of his statement was clearly a joke, it also hinted at a possible return to the format after the 2027 World Cup.
Career trajectory
Will Rohit return to T20Is?
Rohit last played a T20I match in June 2024, after which he walked away from the format.
He also retired from Test cricket in May 2025, leaving ODIs as the only format he plays.
The 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia is his stated target.
However, by October 2027, when the tournament starts, Rohit will be 40 years old.
The Hitman owns 4,231 runs from 151 T20I innings at an average of 32.05. He recorded a healthy strike rate of 140.89.
Rohit's tally includes 37 fifty-plus scores (five tons).
Team transition
Changes in the Indian team
The next T20 World Cup is in 2028, when Rohit will be 41 and nearly four years since his last appearance in the format.
The team he would be returning to has also changed, with Iyer taking over the T20I captaincy from Suryakumar Yadav after India retained their title earlier this year.
The current squad is centered around players like Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and Naman Dhir.
Future prospects
Speculation around Rohit's retirement
Despite the speculation, Rohit has not made any official announcement about his retirement or return to T20Is.
The conversation around him has mostly been about when he will stop playing rather than what he will do next.
Reports had suggested that he might retire after the ODI series against England earlier this year.
However, he remained in India's squad for the subsequent series against West Indies.
His next assignment is the five-ODI series against New Zealand, starting on November 4.