India will kick off their 2026 campaign with a home white-ball series against New Zealand, beginning with a three-match ODI series that will see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to action in India colours. With an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan urged the senior duo to remain actively involved in domestic cricket whenever they are not on international duty.

Speaking on JioStar, Pathan said: “You definitely want to think about the 2027 ODI World Cup. It is far away, but I just want to see both Rohit and Kohli playing for the longest time, for India and when not playing international cricket, in domestic cricket. They are playing just one format and nothing else, so the more they play, the better it is,” Pathan said.