Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta has now shared his views about what comes next for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in One-Day International cricket. While he backs both senior guys, he said they can’t keep waiting around for a couple of matches before they find their rhythm. He wants strong starts, like from game one, in every ODI series, no excuses. The talk about Kohli and Rohit’s future has been getting louder since both stepped away from Test cricket last year. Even if they’re still among India’s biggest match-winners in ODIs, there’s still no real, clear answer about whether they’ll be in the mix for the 2027 ODI World Cup. In the recent ODI series against England, Rohit smashed a brilliant century in the last match, and Kohli managed two half-centuries too. But, in the first game of the series, both fell short again, and that’s where the same old questions restarted, as usual, about their future. Deep Dasgupta asks Kohli and Rohit to start strongly Dasgupta said experienced players like Kohli and Rohit can’t really afford that “one or two matches first” approach, before they properly get settled. He feels the coaching setup should create the right atmosphere so they can deliver from the very first ODI itself. Deep Dasgupta said on his YouTube channel: “That has to be a conversation with everyone, not just them (Kohli and Rohit), that they have to start the series well and hit the ground running. That is a challenge. You can’t take one or two games to get into the groove. But that’s where the support staff comes in and has conversations with the players by creating an environment to get the best out of everyone." He also made it clear there shouldnt be any doubt about where they stand in the Indian team, because they’ve already earned that confidence over years, through consistent strong output. He Added: “There is no conversation needed with them about their places in the team. Four years back, it wasn’t like they had to be reminded before every series that they would be in the team. They knew they would be in the team based on their performances. So how does that change now? It does not and should not change.” Why Kohli and Rohit’s future is being discussed Kohli and Rohit’s future has become a regular headline topic ever since they moved on from Test cricket. Before the Lord’s ODI against England, there were reports claiming selectors might be considering a shift, with Rohit potentially being moved aside and Yashasvi Jaiswal getting more chances going toward the 2027 World Cup. Still, the BCCI later denied those reports, saying that match at Lord’s could be Rohit’s final international appearance. Dasgupta feels this debate is bigger now because both players are now only part of ODI cricket. Also Read | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi or Shubman Gill? Indian Great Makes Bold ODI World Cup Opening Pick Deep Dasgupta explains why pressure is higher now According to Dasgupta, when players take part in all three formats, they get more chances to bounce back after a bad show. But since Kohli and Rohit now play only ODIs, every innings gets way more scrutiny, and that naturally increases the pressure. He further said: “This discussion about their future is getting exaggerated because they play only one format. When you play multiple formats, if you fail in one but score in the other, the failure is forgotten. So that’s a challenge for these two that can’t be denied. People will remember what they last did in this format because they play only one format. But the conversation with them should be the same as it was three years ago.” With the 2027 ODI World Cup still not around the corner, Kohli and Rohit remain crucial for India. Their performances in the next ODI series will matter a lot for how the team plans ahead, but Dasgupta believes both legends still deserve the same trust they’ve earned over the years.