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Indian cricket legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are trying to somehow will themselves to play in ICC ODI World Cup 2027 to complete their unfulfilled dream. Rohit and Virat have both retired from the T20 and Test formats of the game and are only playing in ODI cricket these day. Earlier this week the Indian cricket board also made it clear that the two stalwarts will need to play in domestic cricket if they home to continue playing for the country in ODI cricket. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be next seen in action in the three-match ODI series against South Africa beginning in Ranchi on November 30. Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara who was once one of the pillars of Indian middle-order with Rohit and Virat believes ‘each and every series’ will be crucial and critical for the Indian star batter. Speaking to a select group of media JioStar expert Pujara opened up about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. “For both of them I think each and every series will be very important because when you are just playing one format. It is important for a player to be in touch with the game and they will be playing after a bit of a break which makes it a little more challenging” JioStar expert Pujara said during a Media Day ahead of India’s first Test against South Africa beginning in Kolkata on Friday. Much like Rohit and Virat now Pujara had become only one format specialist as he was considered only suitable for Test cricket. Pujara retired with 7195 runs from 103 Tests at an average of 43.6 with 19 hundreds and 35 fifties. “Having that experience of playing just one format I can talk from my experience that when you play international cricket after a long time you are trying to find the rhythm. When it comes to white ball cricket it’s slightly easier” the former Saurashtra batter added. “But at the same time because of the age they have to work hard and which they have been they have seen the results recently that they have scored runs. And we are hopeful that they will carry on playing till their 2027 World Cup” he felt. Former India captain Rohit Sharma has climbed to the No. 1 rank in ODI cricket at the age of 38 with knocks of 73 and 121 not out in the three-match ODI series against Australia last month. Meanwhile Kohli who turned  37 this week scored an unbeaten 74 in the third ODI against Australia after back-to-back ducks in the first two ODIs. “It will be their personal call. I dont think we should be looking that far ahead. It is also depending on how their body is responding how they are enjoying just playing one format of the game and if they are enjoying it and carrying on and if they are having a good form then we will see what happens going forward” Pujara said. “But as of now I think each and every series becomes very important because for them to one is to perform to score runs to maintain that rhythm and to sustain that form is very important and that’s why I believe that each and every series each and every match becomes very important for them” the 37-year-old former India cricketer added. ‘Selectors and team management need to have honest conversation with Mohammed Shami’ Pujara also spoke about his former teammate and pacer Mohammed Shami who has not been selected for the two-match Test series against South Africa even after proving his fitness in Ranji Trophy 2025 cricket. Shami last played Test cricket in the WTC 2023 final against Australia. “I’m not the one to answer .. I mean the selectors and the team management should have a very honest conversation with him. Whats the plan going forward? Whether they want to pick him or they are looking at the young players” Pujara said about Shami. “And if he is being informed that they are not looking at him then it is always Shamis personal call whether he wants to carry on playing first class cricket whether he still wants to whether he wants to retire from international cricket I mean he is part of the IPL as well. Whether the team management and the selectors whether they are looking at him or not that is the communication which should be happening with Shami. He should have a clear road ahead. He should have that clarity of what the selectors and the team management are looking at and what is expected out of it” he added.