Salman Butt backs Virat Kholi to play ODI World Cup 2027

Former Pakistan opener Salman Butt feels that Virat Kohli can play till he is 38, given his top physical conditioning. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt expressed confidence in team India's star batter Virat Kohli participating in the 2027 ODI World Cup. Salman Butt lauded Virat Kohli's fitness and dedication, despite, approaching his late 30s. Butt believed that Virat Kohli, who will be 39 during the next ODI World Cup in 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will continue to contribute for his national side.

"With how fit Virat Kohli is and the dedication with which he plays, I don't see any reason why he won't play for another four years. With his fitness and intensity, he can surely play even when he is 38 years old," said Salman Butt.

In the recently concluded ODI World Cup where India suffered a heartbreaking loss against Australia in the finals, Virat Kohli's performance was a standout. He was awarded with the Player of the Tournament award for his record-breaking performance as he went on to score three hundreds and six fifties in 11 innings.

Virat Kohli amassed 765 runs, which is the most runs scored in a single edition of the World Cup. In the semi-finals against New Zealand, Virat Kohli went on to score his 50th ODI century, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's 49 centuries.

The entire cricketing fraternity has lauded Virat Kohli for maintaining his



fitness levels that has contributed to his success in all formats of the game. The 35-year-old frequently posts his workout routines on his social media.

Salman Butt also shared his perspective on Rohit Sharma's T20I future. Rohit Sharma has not featured in India's T20I setup since the semi-final loss in T20 World Cup against England.

Butt suggested that Rohit should focus more on the longer formats of the game but he went on to acknowledge Rohit Sharma's unique skill set would allow the India captain to thrive in all three formats of the game.

"Rohit Sharma cannot be compared to any other player. However, after spending a lot of time in international cricket, maybe he feels he should now concentrate more on Tests and ODIs. There is a lot of hustle and bustle in T20 cricket. However, a player like him would not have much trouble, as this format is a lot easier than Tests and ODIs," said Salman Butt.

Rohit Sharma was another standout player for India along with Virat Kohli as he went on to score 597 runs in 11 innings with a staggering strike rate of 125.94. He provided aggressive starts to India in the powerplay and went on to record most sixes scored in a single edition of an ODI World Cup with a tally of 31.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's recent exploits on the biggest cricketing stage could mark their comeback in the T20 setup for India.