Rohit Will Repeat His Success Of 2025 In This Year : Sanjay Bangar

New Zealand's Tour of India 2026 begins with the 1st ODI of the three-match series, featuring Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's international return after Vijay Hazare Trophy exploits. Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Follow The Blues’, JioStar expert Sanjay Bangar predicted Rohit's measured 2027 World Cup approach, praised Shubman Gill's versatile batting & leadership and highlighted seniors' domestic motivation for youth.

Speaking on Follow The Blues, JioStar expert Sanjay Bangar predicted Rohit Sharma will maintain his success with a more measured approach, looking ahead to the 2027 World Cup: "There is no doubt about Rohit Sharma's class. He will repeat his 2025 success in 2026. He is very motivated and I like that he is not being over-aggressive. We know his natural rhythm. The main focus is the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, where the new ball will test him. He is batting with the right rhythm and will score well. This gives the team a strong start. Playing the new ball well is very important. One-day rules have changed, so keeping wickets in hand is key. The very aggressive approach we saw from him in the 2023 World Cup, I think we will see less of that now." 

On Shubman Gill's well-rounded ODI batting, highlighting his adaptability and the positive impact of captaincy: "After Shikhar Dhawan retired, Rohit Sharma opened the innings with Shubman Gill. Shubman is a very strong batter. He has scored 2800 runs at the top. He understands the pace of ODI cricket well. He can hit big shots against spin and play pace bowling too. In the last Asia Cup, I liked how he changed gears. Whenever Virat or Rohit got out, he adjusted his game to bat with the middle order. It is a well-rounded approach from Shubman Gill. He is mature and experienced, and with captaincy, his batting will get even better."

On the adjustments Rohit Sharma may need for the New Zealand series: "Rohit Sharma will have to do a mental switch. He practiced on Mumbai's red soil pitches, but Vadodara's bounce is lower. He may need small adjustments, like staying a bit lower and meeting the ball around the knee. But by this level, these things are subconscious. You understand the conditions after 10-15 balls and your body adjusts automatically. There is no need for big changes. It is more about getting into batting rhythm and feeling motivated again. Players look forward to the competition and adrenaline. It is a game of instinct. They will rely on that, just as they did in practice." 

On how senior players like Kohli and Rohit motivate youngsters by participating in domestic cricket: "The number of runs does not matter as much. Even if Kohli and Rohit don't score in a few matches, what they are trying to do is very important. When players with over 350 matches still go and play domestic cricket, it is a big motivation for any young player. The whole ecosystem BCCI has set up requires you to play domestic cricket when you are available."